Last week I had a very fun grown-up sleepover, and we decided that we should watch some movies — ideally some that our husbands wouldn't want to watch. One of my friends suggested Breakfast at Tiffany's. None of us had seen it and we all agreed on it.

I didn't know anything about it. It is a classic to be sure, and I felt like it was a movie I should see. After watching the movie, I decided to read Truman Capote's novella so that I could compare the two.

In this case, I can say without reservation that I liked the movie better. For one thing — George Peppard — he was totally dreamy! The iconic Holly Golightly was appropriately flaky, and beautiful as played by Audrey Hepburn. I found her to be more likable in the movie than the book. As they say in the movie (and the book), "She's a phony. But she's a real phony." There were actually many lines that made it word for word into the film.

The framework of the story is the same, but I found the characters to be more fleshed-out in the movie, especially Paul Varjak (Peppard), who is the first person narrator of the novella and about whom we learn little in that work. Henry Mancini provides the perfect soundtrack, most notably the Academy Award winning song Moon River.

In my opinion you can skip the novella and get to know these iconic characters and images of the 60's by watching the movie. I'm not particularly a fan of old movies, but this one is worth a look.

Managing Editor Jennifer Donovan likes a good story, no matter whether it's told on screen or in the pages. She blogs at Snapshot.

Are you looking forward to any summer blockbusters? Or perhaps there's a DVD release that you loved (or hated) after reading the book. We love to feature guest contributors to the Books on Screen column.

Submit your ideas to me at 5minutesforbooksATgmail(dot)com.

Healing Waters by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn is not a novel that's easily described. I guess I could label it part mystery, part drama, part romance. Although it's the second book in the Sullivan Crisp series, it stands alone (so well, in fact, that I didn't realize it was part of a series until I was done).

The story is driven by three plots - a strained marriage, a widower's search for answers, and a tragic accident. Various subplots take us deeper into the lives and relationships between Sullivan, Lucia Coffey and her sister Sonia Cabot - three individuals in desperate need of healing.

Sonia is a best-selling Christian author and singer at the top of her game when her plane crashes. She is burned beyond recognition, and her faith is put to the test. Sonia commands Lucia to come home with her and assist in the recovery process. Lucia, a nurse with no backbone, relents and leaves her husband (and tenuous marriage) behind. Enter Sullivan, Sonia's friend and Christian psychologist. He wants to help the sisters, but must face some questions about his own past before he can concentrate on the present.

There's a lot going on, but Rue and Arterburn do a fantastic job of pulling the reader in and keeping her attention for all 402 pages. I was more drawn in by this story than I have been by any other in quite a while. Healing Waters is a compelling read that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Melissa has been captivated by books for as long as she can remember. She resides in Virginia and blogs at Breath of Life.

Becoming a parent brings on a whole new world of things to give thought to. Beyond the daily life changes (showering becomes optional in those early days, it seems), there are also the bigger picture issues to consider. Jennifer Taggart has put together a great resource in Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure, especially considering how confusing all the information out there can be.

With chapters focusing on certain home areas such as the kitchen, the nursery, and the bathroom, Taggart gathers and deciphers what is known about the toxicity of the available products that may very well be a regular part of your life. Other chapters give attention to the governmental agencies that are commissioned with overseeing the regulation of the vast amount of chemicals that are all around us, as well as giving wise advice in regards to lead and pesticide exposure.

We all want the best for our children, and with this book we're equipped with a collection of information that can help us to judge what types of products we want our children exposed to, and which we'd rather steer clear of.

Does this sound like a resource guide you just have to have?

Leave a comment here (just one comment per person, please!) for a chance to win a copy of Smart Mama's Green Guide (US and Canadian residents only, no PO Boxes please).

We'll announce a winner here on our next giveaway post on Wednesday, July 8th.

Our latest giveaway winners are:

Why Not Knot for Fun?!: #34 Kim
Ryann Waters and the King's Swords: #32 cris, #29 meredith, #42 Susan C

If you didn't receive an email asking for your address, check your spam folder, but please contact us with your shipping info within the next week.

Feel free to enter our other current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter. (These do not earn you extra entries, but we'd love for you to be able to stay in touch!)

Dawn has an unbelievable stack of parenting books causing her shelves to sag. When she's not reading, she's blogging away at my thoughts exactly.

Do you remember that story from just over a year ago about the newspaper columnist who wrote about letting her 9-year-old ride the NYC subway all alone? She was soon all over the news and internet, retelling her story, and the public was divided in their opinions. Was she a voice of sanity in an ever-increasing crazy world, or did she truly deserve the moniker "America's Worst Mom?" Wherever you may stand on the divide, credit is due to Skenazy who did not go into a parental protection program, but instead, stood by her message and wrote Free-Range Kids: Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry to continue to share her mindset.

Having school-aged children, the premise of this book was interesting to both Jennifer and Dawn. In the spirit of open discussion, we're tackling some questions, each from our own perspective.

"What were your impressions before reading the book?"

Dawn: I'm a worrier by nature, but I also worry that I worry too much. (I'm a little obsessive sometimes.) So, I kind of expected to fall in line with the author's main points, even if the image of her son riding the crazy subway all by himself made me more than a little uncomfortable. I remember hearing about the story last year, but I guess I somehow missed all the follow-up hype, so I came into this reading without much outside influence on my opinions.

Jennifer: I had missed the hype altogether, however I remember hearing the statistic that there are actually the same number of — or fewer — crimes against children now than "back in the day," and I've shared that truth along with the supposition that we are only more aware due to constant media coverage and fear-mongering. In reading the book, I was hoping to get more facts to back up this truth.

"How did the book differ or concur with those thoughts?"

Dawn: Well, I instantly liked the author's tone, kind of like the informed mom of older children who tells you stories to prepare you for your upcoming parental experiences. She wasn't just talking about her opinions, but she was backing up her thoughts with statistics to confirm that the real world isn't as crazy as we might believe! I did indeed find myself nodding along with her time and again, and shaking my head (often at myself!) when she talked about the fears that we let rule our decision-making processes. I also realized that while I might not be able to picture sending my own son alone on the subway next year, there are plenty of independence-building scenarios that are more fitting to our lifestyle and environment that make sense for us.

Jennifer: First can I say that this book is hysterical? Seriously laugh out loud funny? I usually start reading parenting books with a fair amount of head-nodding, note-taking, and resolve only to put it aside after 50 pages or so. This book was a joy to read, and I didn't necessarily expect that. And, yes, it did give me more background information on why the world isn't any more horrible it was than when we took off and rode bikes around our neighborhood (without cell phones! without helmets! without sunscreen or hats!).

"Did anything surprise or shock you from this book?"

Dawn: Absolutely the statistics! The fear of a stranger abducting one's child is so palpable in our society, so it was incredibly surprising to see just how rarely this happens. One of my favorite things she said in the book was, "Get up and go out. Spend that hour you were going to watch Law and Order on a walk with the kids instead. Look around at all the unspeakable crimes not being committed." I get it– turn off the news and engage in your world to get a more realistic view of the level of risk that's out there.

Jennifer: The more I read, the more surprised (and disheartened) I was at how much our parenting culture has changed in the last ten or twenty years. Yes, sunscreen and helmets are a good change that our children have adopted without even thinking about it. But the ever-present nature of parents — from driving or walking tweens and teens to school or to friends' houses, to being in constant contact with cell-phones — that part honestly has been a shock. It makes me wonder if I will face backlash (or at the very least judgment) as many of the parents whose stories are told in the book have for letting my tween daughter grow up as I want her to in assuming responsibilities or freedoms that I think she's ready for.

"Do you think your parenting will change as a result of reading the book?"

Dawn: I'm pushing hard for my husband to read this book as well, and I think that there are a few areas where we may be able to give our son a little more freedom. Overall, I felt somewhat affirmed in some of our decisions– such as not enrolling him in multiple activities, allowing him to have a good amount of time that's actually free. We'll see where the next year takes us!

Jennifer: On the scale of over-protective and free-range, I was probably already in the top quarter on the free-range side, but I am constantly second-guessing myself, and find myself hovering in a very non "free range" sort of way in some areas. As much as I have wanted to give my daughter some freedoms, I've either done so with a fair helping of worry or hovered unnecessarily over certain issues. This book has encouraged me to trust my gut to know what she can handle.

********

Listen in on our informative conversation with Free-Range Kids author Lenore Skenazy — as either an introduction to the concept or for more information.

 

 Free Range Kids author Lenore Skenazy [38:19m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We also invite you all to join us in a twitter-sation with Lenore on Wednesday July 15 from 10 - 11 pm ET, just use the hashtag #freerangekids to join in. You can read the book and share your experience, listen in to see what "the movement" is all about, or even express your reservations.

Reading and blogging are just two interests Dawn (my thoughts exactly) and Jennifer (Snapshot) share.

I confess that I am not a huge fan of pirates or stories of pirates. My little two year old, on the other hand, delights in singing, "YO HO! YO HO! A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME!" as he splashes around in the bathtub, courtesy of Peter Pan and dear ol' Captain Hook.

Since reviewing books here has pushed me to read outside of my comfort zone, I thought I'd look into some pirate stories. Thomas Nelson has published a series of pirate books by author Wayne Thomas Batson. Earmarked for "young adults" - this book has cover art that is appealing to all ages, including fun-loving two year olds. The front cover accurately sets the mood for the read. Furthermore, Batson does such a good job with the dialogue that I had pirate songs playing in my head the whole time I was reading. (I suspect that Batson talks a mean pirate himself on Talk Like a Pirate Day.)

The first book (in what I believe is to be a triology), Isle of Swords, gets the heart rate up in no time. Almost instantly we are introduced to a mystery in the form of a young boy who wakes up on an island and doesn't know who he is and where he came from. It is suspected that he is a pirate, although no one can say for sure. Nicknamed "Cat" he spends a good deal of time risking life and life trying to discover who he is. The only person to identify him early on is a cold blooded pirate who goes by the name of Chevillard (aka "the Butcher"). Chevillard is in cahoots with another well-known, and quite vicious, pirate by the name of Bartholomew Thorne. The high seas are positively loaded with pirates, including a "hero" among them named Captain Declan Ross. Ross, himself a pirate, has a daughter, Anne, who also plays a pivitol role in the story by being high spirited and danger-lovin' in her own right. Between those characters, a cloister of monks who are hiding an age-old secret of treasure and who take everyone on a wild adventure to the treasure, you are in for a real pirate-y treat.

Isle of Fire is the second book in the series and the suspense is no less. Cat's memory has slowly returned and his now double-life is creating some interesting decisions for him. There are some new characters, less treasure, more storms on the high seas and basic pirate intrigue. I was looking up the Amazon review for this particular book and noted that the author himself had left a comment on Isle of Fire. He notes, concerning this particular story:

"You'll also meet the world's first pirates and a villain so cold he makes Bartholomew Thorne look like a Care Bear."

The fun just continues.

If you like stories of pirates and treasure, you will like these books. If you enjoy good story-telling, you will also like this book. My one strong caution is that the books are rather bloody. Nothing is overtly graphic but the picture is painted well enough that I could picture the limbs falling off and the stabbings. They ARE pirates and they sure do act like it! Make sure your "young adult" reader can handle things like that before handing them over. Part of the reason that this issue causes me concern is precisely because Batson is such a remarkable story teller that you just get sucked into his stories and start to live them yourself. If violence is a problem for you or your young reader, then you'll want to be a little cautious. Otherwise, Yo Ho Ho, and enjoy!

Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.

My favorite sub-genres of the memoir include the "project memoir*," followed closely behind by the "travel memoir." So when I came across Simon Majumbar's Eat My Globe: One Year to Go Everywhere and Eat Everything, I thought it would be a book I'd enjoy since it combines two of my favorite types of non-fiction.

Here's the thing about memoir. If you don't like the memoirist, the book will get old really fast. I have a feeling that's why some of you avoid memoir like the plague. You may have read a few and wondered why people love this genre full of people self-absorbed enough to write about the minutiae of their experiences, often sharing too much information along the way.

So, that said, I liked Simon Majumdar. He made no excuses for the fact that he might, in fact, be a bit of a jerk. He shares his shortcomings with a bit of a swagger as if to say, "This is me. Like it or lump it." That self-awareness and self-deprecating humor helped make this the kind of book that made me grin while I was reading it.

I didn't only grin, but my mouth literally watered many times as I was reading his descriptions of the food he ate while on the road — whether prepared by an acclaimed chef or eaten from a street vendor (in fact my mouth is watering now as I'm writing about it). I also cringed a few times when he recounted some things that he ate bravely for the sake of meeting his mission to "eat everything." Some of these included cod whale sperm, rat, dog, and fermented shark (in fact I'm cringing now as I write it).

This book was an enjoyable read. As you can imagine, taking a year to travel the world and take in the food that the regions are known for, resulted in just a cursory investigation of each cuisine or culture. However, because Majumdar was mostly guided by people who he had met on web-based food sites, he found out interesting tidbits about the people or the food. He didn't just eat fine cuisine either (in fact, he ate very little of that). Instead, he ate what the locals ate at street vendors, local cafes, and in people's homes.

*My favorite examples of what I call a "project memoir" are by A.J. Jacobs. Another compelling one was Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously (The movie is coming out this August) and One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children.

Managing Editor Jennifer Donovan enjoys traveling when she can, but reading about travel is almost as enjoyable. She blogs about some of her traveling adventures (in addition to sharing her self-absorbed thoughts of everyday life) at Snapshot.

Have you read a book that we reviewed here (on this site or in our weekly column on 5 Minutes for Mom)?

Here's your chance to let us know! Perhaps you liked it, as we did, or maybe you were a bit disappointed.

Write up a new review on your site and leave the link, or give us the links of reviews you've published since our last 5th-Tuesday "I Read It" carnival in March.

Just leave your link, or a comment with a short review or your thoughts, right in the comment field below.

Join in our upcoming community events (there's something every Tuesday):

• Check in with us next week — July 7 — to see what our very first "comment carnival" is all about.
• July 14 our Children's Classics topic is Field Trips (books that inspire a field trip)
• Our next bookclub is Rebecca on August 4
• We're thinking about using our off-month of September to add in another contemporary pick — this time we're thinking about Rooftops of Tehran. Check out my review to see why I loved this book. If you think that you might want to join in, leave us a comment. We'll make a decision based on interest.

Check out our current giveaways. Subscribe to our feed. Follow us @5M4B on Twitter.

Last October, our Classics Bookclub read Jane Eyre. Although I have participated in some of the Bookclub selections, I stopped reading Jane Eyre after a few pages because I was having trouble getting into the story. Then, a few months ago, I received a copy of Jillian Dare, a modern-day adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's novel, and I jumped right into the tale.

Jillian, a young lady who grew up in a series of foster homes, is starting her new life as an adult. She is thrilled to find a job as a nanny in a large country estate. Jillian enjoys the peaceful setting, and she adores Cadence, the young girl in her care. Jillian is also drawn to her intriguing employer, Ethan. Although their backgrounds and social status are completely different, the two are drawn to one another. Unfortunately, Ethan's secrets threaten to destroy their developing relationship, and his past becomes a danger to them all.

The author, Melanie Jeschke, says that she wrote this book for three categories of readers: the lover of classics who enjoys contemporary adaptations (not purists), those who enjoy romantic suspense, and those who have not read Jane Eyre. The author's hope is that her adaptation will inspire readers to pick up the classic work. I may have missed out on Jane Eyre last October, but Jillian Dare captured my attention. After enjoying the modern-day tale, I plan to read Jane Eyre soon!

Jillian Dare is not only an adaptation of a classic, but it is also a novel filled with Christian themes (some of the themes are subtle threads throughout the book, and some are more directly tied into the story). If you enjoy contemporary Christian novels or fit into one of the categories mentioned by Melanie Jeschke, I recommend this book to you. If you have read this book and you have read Jane Eyre, I would love to hear your comments!

Lauren is a wife, a mother of two, and an avid reader. She blogs at Baseballs and Bows.

And so it falls to me to attempt to review a book I really, really liked by an author I really, really like. I think I’ve told you before that writing reviews of books I really, really like is way harder than one would think. I mean, really, how many superlatives can one use without losing credibility altogether? Think on it and get back with me. I need to know.

Meanwhile, let me tell you about my most recent favorite read (I have to say “most recent” because like most bibliophiles my favorite read changes from week to week and book to book). Sometimes a Light Surprises is Jamie Langston Turner’s newest novel and, like the rest of her books, belongs in my beloved “Southern fiction” genre.

Read my full review at 5 Minutes for Mom today (and enter to win a copy for yourself).

Wife and mother, Bible teacher and blogger, Lisa loves Jesus, coffee, dark chocolate and, of course, books. Read more of her reflections at Lisa writes….

Comments are closed here so that you can leave your comment on the post at 5 Minutes for Mom.

The Moon by Night is the second book in the books written by Madeleine L'Engle that have recently been republished as the "Austin Family Chronicles." In reality, these books were written over many years, this one in 1963, 3 years after Meet the Austins (linked to my review). Each book focuses on a different situation, and although they feature the same characters, they completely stand alone.

The Moon by Night all takes place over a couple of months in the summer in which the Austins drive cross country from Connecticut to California, camping along the way, before making a permanent move from their country home to New York City (which is the focus of The Young Unicorns: The Austin Family Chronicles, Book 3).

This novel is a bit more mature, due to a romantic interest of Vicky's, but by today's standards it's quite tame. Zachary is a rebel, but the most rebellious thing he does is show up when he's unwanted, and show a sort of anti-establishment attitude. There's not really any "yearning and burning," aside from a chaste excitement about a boy being interested in her.

I am continually amazed at L'Engle's grasp on the human condition. This novel is about Vicky's "awkward time," being an adolescent on the verge of becoming a young adult. There's no judgment there — either in the author's portrayal of her, or her own fictional family's perception of her — it's simply fact.

This would be a great book to read this summer if you are taking a driving and/or camping trip this summer. Even camping was different in the 60's. The audiobook read by the fantastic Maggi-Meg Reed is available to purchase via download.

If, like me, you have an advanced reader who wants to read more mature books, I can recommend this series. The vocabulary, tone and style is written for young adults, yet because they were written forty years ago, the content is perfectly accessible to a middle-grade reader. And yet even Amanda describes them as "timeless" not dated, which would likely be a turnoff to a tween of this millennium. My 10 1/2 year old daughter, Amanda, enjoyed this as much as the first one (as did I).

Read more about my "Reading Madeleine L'Engle" project, and stay tuned for more reviews of her works, including the third Austin Family Chronicles book (which we've just finished), and the fourth (which we are listening to on audiobook on our trip).

Managing editor Jennifer Donovan wonders why she doesn't read more middle grade and young adult fiction, because she always enjoys it when she does. She blogs at Snapshot.