The Story Corner: Rave Reviews
By Rebecca C. and Janna P.
Blue Cup of Coffee with Book and Flowers on Sofa by pixelshot
Created in Canva
Always talk with your parents before reading/watching the material. :)
Films
Name of Movie: Disenchanted
Director: Adam Shankman
Run Time: 1h 58m
Rating: PG
About the Movie: A sequel to the humorous 2007 movie Enchanted, this movie picks up fifteen years after animated princess Giselle accidentally found herself living in the real world. However, unlike the fairytale world she’s used to, the now mother of two soon finds out that life goes on after you find your true love… and that it can be quite hard. So when Giselle comes into possession of a wishing wand from her old fairytale world, she makes her desires for a simpler life known, inadvertently turning the lives of everyone she loves upside down in the process.
Why you should watch it: Why should you watch it? Because… it’s fun? :D
To be more specific though, the film keeps the same lighthearted spirit as its predecessor, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. With a new soundtrack of songs to listen to, beautiful scenery, and a silly yet somewhat insightful story, Disenchanted is, in my opinion, a delight to watch.
Where you can watch it: Disney+
Name of Movie: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Director: Joel Crawford
Run Time: 1h 40m
Rating: PG
About the Movie: Puss in Boots, the legendary hero and adventurer, has lived his eight lives in a chaotic and rambunctious fashion. Puss has never worried about death or danger… until now. Now he’s down to his last life, and is considering hanging up his cape once and for all. But when Puss gets word of a mysterious wishing star that could replenish him with more lives, he finds himself going on one last adventure with his friends, old and new. It's an epic ride for an epic cat, and along the way, Puss begins to realize what’s really important to him after all.
Why you should watch it: When a franchise gets to the point where the newest movie is a sequel to a sequel to a spinoff of a movie with three sequels… you expect the quality to not exactly be purr-fect. But perhaps a bit surprisingly, the Shrek franchise seems to be alive and well, unlike our feline hero. After years of adventures, Puss in Boots has found himself in a terrible predicament for a cat… down to only one of his nine lives! The movie has a beautiful painting-like style of animation, unique heroes and villains, and an important message of living your life wisely. And cats sword fighting. You can never forget that.
Where you can watch it: At the time that I’m writing this, the film is still in theaters in the US. It is also available on Vudu Fandango and Amazon Prime.
Books
Name of Series: Bonnets and Bugles
Author: Gilbert Morris
Number of Pages: 170 per book on average
Suggested Age Level: 10-15
About the Series: The Carters and Majorses have been neighbors in neutral Kentucky for years, but when the war drives the Majorses to Confederate Virginia, the families must endure the hardships of the war while maintaining their close ties of friendship. Join 13-year-old Leah Carter and 14-year-old Jeff Majors as the war takes them various places and discover what it means to live in a godly fashion amidst the troubles of growing up.
Why you should read it: Morris weaves life lessons, hilarity, and sobering realities of the Civil War into this ten-book series. These are a wonderful choice if you’re looking for a heartwarming, homespun historical read. They have a unique take on the Civil War with one family being pro-Union and the other being pro-Confederate yet still remaining close friends, so you see the conflict from both perspectives. My younger siblings and I have really enjoyed getting to know the Carters and Majorses. Also, we now understand that eating pie with only your hands is perfectly acceptable.
Where you can read it: https://www.moodypublishers.com/bonnets-and-bugles-series-books-1-10/
Name of Book: When Calls the Heart
Author: Janette Oke
Number of Pages: 220
Suggested Age Level: 14+
About the Book: Meet schoolteacher Elizabeth Thatcher and travel with her to the Canadian West just after the turn of the nineteenth century. Finding herself teaching in a one-room schoolhouse and living by herself in a small teacherage, the refined Eastern woman must adjust to the primitiveness of the West. She is staunchly determined not to marry, convinced the West is full of rowdy, uncivilized men. Wynn Delaney, believing that the order goes God, work, wife, not God, wife, work, because of the vital importance of his job as a Mountie, is equally against marriage. Will Elizabeth change his mind?
Why you should read it: Janette Oke is at her finest with this one. Her simplistic style, humor, and biblical insight make it well worth a read. Canada, the setting, takes you to a whole different and new world in historical fiction. Elizabeth is one of those characters that you can’t help but be friends with from the start, and her various mishaps during the first few months of teaching are pretty hilarious! For those who have seen Hallmark’s adaption of the book, the TV show is nothing like the book, so don’t let it dissuade you from reading it.
Where you can read it: https://www.amazon.com/When-Calls-Heart-Canadian-West/dp/076421229X
Name of Series: Secrets of the Blue Hill Library
Author: Emily Thomas
Number of Pages: 265 per book on average
Suggested Age Level: 8-14
About the Series: Young widow Anne Gibson recently inherited her great Aunt Edie’s large Victorian home in her hometown of Blue Hill, Pennsylvania, and has been legally stipulated to turn it into a library. With her two kids Ben and Liddie, Anne manages to find more than one mystery to solve, but she’ll need the help of her adult friends Alex Ochs, Mildred Farley, and other quirky characters to get to the bottom of them. Anne gains new understandings of her aunt’s fascinating past and God’s plan for her and her family’s future.
Why you should read it: I love a good mystery, particularly those that are kid-friendly, as I know I won’t have to worry about inappropriate elements or too intense of scenes. These make good read-aloud books for families. The small town atmosphere of Blue Hill is irreplaceable, and it makes me wish I lived in a smaller town than I do! Liddie and Ben, despite their being much younger than I at 5 and 9 respectively, are relatable and great fun. Anne exemplifies what it means to have strong faith in God and trust Him with everything.
Name of Book: The Ark, the Reed, and the Fire Cloud
Author: Jenny L. Cote
Number of Pages: 432
Grade Levels Suggested by Author: 5-11
About the Book: The story of Noah’s Ark is famous, but this novel tells the tale in a brand new way…from the animals’ perspective! Join Max, a Scottish terrier, and Liz, a black cat from France as they lead a ragtag group of critters around the world to the ark the Maker called them to. But their adventure is not without peril and sadness, for Noah, his family, and the animals must leave behind the only world and people they’ve ever known as floodwaters rise. It’s an epic take on the story of God’s miraculous lifeboat.
Why you should read it: Jenny L. Cote grounds her story with biblical truth, and expands upon this troubling time in history to create an exciting and often saddening tale. The story has important lessons in bravery, listening to God, and having faith in hard times. Plus, Max and Liz are based off of the author’s own pets, which is a fun side note. :)
Where you can read it: https://www.amazon.com/Reed-Fire-Cloud-Amazing-Tales/dp/0899571980
Columns: ⭐Reviews
Rebecca C. started at NSA in January of 2021. She lives in Massachusetts in the US. She is in 9th grade and enjoys filmmaking, writing, and loves animals.
Janna P. is a senior and seventh-year NSA student who lives in Idaho with her family of five. She enjoys reading, cooking, baking, traveling the Northwest, hanging out with her family, and spending time in God's creation. This is her first year on the Navigator. After her schooling career is over, she hopes to become a librarian and published author.