The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
The Green Ember series by S. D. Smith
The Wingfeather Saga series by Andrew Peterson
Henry and the Chalk Dragon by Jennifer Trafton
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
The Lost Princess by George MacDonald
Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
Redwall series by Brian Jacques
Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
Acknowledgments
ONE OF MY FAVORITE quotes comes from a Wendell Berry novel, when a character arrives home after a long absence of both body and heart. Upon entering his home, realizing the love that has always been waiting to embrace him, he comes to a full realization of the “blessedness he has lived in.” He walks from room to room, “saying over and over to himself, ‘I am blessed. I am blessed.’”[1]
I have often felt the same in the writing of this book as I walked through the rooms of my memory, realizing the gifts of reading and imagination given to me as a child and by the friends and mentors I’ve known since. I’ve felt that sense of blessing in encountering the kindred-spirited book girls at Tyndale Momentum, whose work and vision made this book possible, and in the care of my husband and family as I pounded out this manuscript.
In particular, I would like to thank:
Jan Long Harris and Sarah Atkinson for their enthusiasm for this project and their vision for creating a book for book girls. To work with you has been a privilege and a kindred-spirit delight.
Stephanie Rische for being not just an editor with profound insight, lovely humor, and the kind of radiant encouragement that kept me on my writerly feet, but for making the work of revision a delighted conversation between friends.
Jillian Schlossberg and the Tyndale Momentum design team for their artistry and infectious enthusiasm in designing the Book Girl look.
My mentors and companions in the reading life who contributed their own book-girlish lists to this book. I’ve learned and rejoiced so deeply in your company.
My parents, for giving me the gift of the reading life when my own story was just beginning, for supporting the dreams sparked by all those stories we read aloud, and for being the generous givers that all great readers become.
My mom, for reading aloud to me in the womb and for being my bosom friend ever since.
My husband, Thomas. Oh, love. How can I put my thanks for the whole of our life and story into a single sentence? Thank you for loving, supporting, and believing in your book girl. I’m so glad I’m yours.
[1] Wendell Berry, Remembering (Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint, 2008), 98–99.
Discussion Questions
In the introduction, the author describes how she came to be a book girl. When did you realize you were a book girl? What people or circumstances contributed to your love of reading?
In the introduction, the author identifies what she sees as the top three gifts of reading: it fills our hearts with beauty, gives us strength for the battle, and reminds us that we’re not alone. What gifts have you encountered from the reading life?
In chapter 1, the author offers some guidelines about how to choose books and how to discern what constitutes good reading. How do you choose what book to read next? Are there people in your life whose recommendations you particularly resonate with?
Have you ever found yourself in a reading slump? How did you get out of it? Are there certain books or types of books that help you when you’ve gotten out of the rhythm of reading?
In chapter 2, the author gives suggestions for reading in fellowship. Do any of these recommendations resonate with you? Are there any that you’d like to begin to implement?
In chapter 3, the author says, “We understand our worlds through the words we are given.” Can you think of a time when a passage from a book gave you empathy for or a deeper understanding of a person or situation in your life?
The author gives her “Beloved Dozen” list in chapter 3. What titles would you include on your must-read list?
In chapter 4, the author says, “A great book meets you in the narrative motion of your own life, showing you in vividly imagined ways exactly what it looks like to be evil or good, brave or cowardly, each of those choices shaping the happy (or tragic) ending of the stories in which they’re made.” In what ways have books shaped the story of your life?
In chapter 5, the author describes the role literature played in making her faith her own: “Tolkien’s story helped me to recognize Scripture as my story, the one in whose decisive battles I was caught, the narrative that drew me into the conflict, requiring me to decide what part I would play: heroine, coward, lover, or villain.” What impact have books had on your faith and your discovery of self? Are there particular books or passages that have been especially meaningful to you on your spiritual journey?
In chapter 7, the author describes how books gave her mutual ground on which to connect with her siblings. Have you ever had a similar experience of appreciating someone or identifying with them as a result of a shared reading experience?
What mentors fostered a love of reading for you? Who are you passing along the gift of reading to?
What books on the author’s books lists do you love too? What additional titles would you include? What books have you added to your to-read list after finishing this book?
About the Author
SARAH CLARKSON is an author, a blogger, and a student of theology. She graduated from Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University, with a bachelor’s degree in theology, where she also spent a proud year as president of the Oxford C. S. Lewis Society. She’s the author of Read for the Heart (a guide to children’s literature) and Caught Up in a Story (on the formative power of story), and the coauthor of The Lifegiving Home (on creating a place of belonging). Through blogs, books, and her current research, she explores the theological significance of story, the intersection of theology and imagination, and the formative power of beauty. She writes regularly about her adventures at www.sarahclarkson.com and is at slow work on a novel. She can often be found with a cup of good coffee in one of the many quaint corners amid Oxford’s “dreaming spires,” where she lives in a red-doored cottage with her husband, Thomas, and their own tiny book girl.
Online Discussion guide
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