View this email in your browserJuly 14, 2026This has been an exciting time with all the 250 events, which were enjoyable despite the record heat. I recently discovered another of my ancestors, Robert Parker, served as a private in the Revolutionary War. Sadly, he died of wounds he received in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It seems we often forget the sacrifices that were made to secure Liberty!
Update — Forthcoming BookOrdinary OllieOrdinary Ollie, pictured above center, will be released this November. This novel for readers ages 8-12 . It is written as magical realism, a style in which magic blends into real world situations. The book’s blurb describes it as follows:
Oliver’s parents were famous, his sisters brilliant. But Ollie? Oh, he could bark like a dog, tweet like a bird, and howl like the wind, but his mimicry didn’t impress his family. He longed for a talent worthy of their respect.But then, on his 12th birthday, something extraordinary happened. Ollie gained a superpower – INVISIBILITY. If he could figure out how to use it, he’d never be ordinary again.New friendships bring new experiences, and Ollie finds himself wondering if talents and superpowers really mean what he thought they meant.Maybe Ordinary Ollie is exactly who the world needs.
My publisher, Chicken Scratch Books, is eager to find people willing to read the book pre-publication and write an honest review. If you would be willing to do so, please send me your name and email address (elizraum@pm.me). You’ll receive a pdf of the novel in the next few weeks. The review needn’t be long or complex, just honest. All reviews are helpful!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Recommended Reads (pictured above)
I’ve spent the last two weeks catching up on reading books for both children and adult. I’ll share a few of my favorites: For Readers ages 8-12:
Unlucky Charm Summer by Alyssa Wilkinson What a fun mystery! Duke Foster, an abandoned orphan, discovers that her parents actually loved her but have mysteriously disappeared. What happened to them? Duke is determined to find out with the help of the twin sister she never knew she had. The girls must infiltrate a dangerous circus and confront the evil master of ceremonies. Eventually Duke learns what it means to be part of a family. A great read for summer or anytime! Pocket Bear by Catherine Applegate A charming story about a girl and her mom who save discarded stuffed animals, one of which is a pocket bear. These tiny bears were designed as WWI tokens given to a soldier to remind him of home and to give him hope. The tiny bear, who comes to life at night, oversees the collection of abandoned toys in this unique and fascinating novel. For adult and teen readers: The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan It’s two years into WWII, and food supplies are rationed in Britain. What’s a cook to do? BBC radio hosts a program called the Kitchen Front and decides to sponsor a contest to find the best make-do cook to serve as co-host of the program. Four women compete, each one coming up with clever recipes in hopes of winning. The characters are well-drawn and readers are quickly drawn into their lives and relationships. It’s a quick and fun read. Broker of Lies by Steven James A friend introduced me to the works of Steven James, a award-winning northeast Tennessee writer of Christian thrillers. I never imagined such a genre existed, but was spell-bound by the novel, reading far too late into the night. In Broker of Lies, Travis Brock, who works for the Defense Department, “risks everything to find the truth” about his wife’s death. In the process, he attempts to stop a major attack on innocent others. I’ve now ordered several more of Steven James’ books. I’m a fan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” ―Stephen KingUPCOMING EVENTS:
July 23-26: Southeast Homeschool Expo, Atlanta, Georgia.
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Thanks for reading this newsletter and for caring about children, education, and the books kids read. If you found this helpful, please don’t hesitate to send me a comment and/or to pass this newsletter along to friends. It’s easy to sign up on my website: www.elizabethraumbooks.com.
