On the TV
Soul Surfer comes out on DVD today and if you haven’t seen it, you must. You must! Dennis Quaid? Wonderful. Helen Hunt? Too thin but still wonderful. AnnaSophia Robb? Wonderful! She’s grown up a lot since Because of Winn-Dixie but she is still just as sweet and does a great job in the role of Bethany Hamilton, a dedicated & uber-athletic surfer from the North Shore who does not give up no matter what.
And there’s a great big what that comes along.
This is a true story and what’s kind of funny (in a rather sad and pathetic way) is that I walked into the movie not remembering that it was about a shark attack. “Those underwater shots are freaking me out!” I whispered to my friend, Ruth Ann. “I keep expecting a shark to—aaah!!”
The VERY best part of this movie is that its characters are unashamed of being Christian. They read the Bible and they quote it, too, but it isn’t sappy or over-the-top like some of the other Christian movies I’ve seen.
It’s just a really good story. I was both moved and entertained, and promptly put this film at the top of our Netflix queue when I returned from the theater.
(We’re going to watch it as a family this weekend. I’m not going to tell them about the shark.)
On the Grill
Do you have a Penzeys in a neighborhood near you? Have you tried their Chicago Steak Seasoning?
Wow. Just wow. It’s really good.
I shook a generous amount into a mound of ground beef last night, and the burgers we grilled were—may I rave here?—fabulous.
Now.
You’ll thank me.
In the CD Player
Cate went to an adventure camp this summer and one day their teacher read them an excerpt from Island of the Blue Dolphins
Well, guess what? It’s wonderful!
(My enthusiasm surprises you not a bit, I know.)
Because I love a good book on CD and because we spend a lot of time in the van, we went with the audio version
and are in the middle of this gripping tale AS I SPEAK! Hopefully nothing untoward will happen at the end to make me regret this endorsement, but so far it is really good and the narrator, Tantoo Cardinal, (you may remember her as the wife of Kicking Bird in the movie Dances with Wolves), is the perfect choice for Karana, the native islander who gets left behind.
She reminds me of a female Sam Gribley,
And then you go, then! Three free reviews! Happy August…happy last full month of summer.
Believe me, you will not regret the endorsement of Island of the Blue Dolphins.
It was a read aloud we did (the first time) about 16 years ago – and my mid-twenties kids still talk about it – its that enjoyable.
Soul Surfer sounds like a great family movie, which I'm always on the look-out for. Thanks for the recommendation!
Blessings~
We LOVED Soul Surfer. I took my daughter to see it in the theater, and pre-warned her about the shark attack. She is sensitive, and I wanted her to know it was coming, and to let her know it was all going to be ok. If you have a sensitive kiddo like mine, definitely give them a heads up. And have kleenex readily available during this movie.
I've wanted to see that Soul Surfer movie, but wasn't sure if it was good for the kiddos, thanks for letting us know, we'll have to get it!!
Love, love, love IOBD. I grew up on the mainland looking out over the islands. It was only when I moved across the US and read it aloud to my kiddos that I realized its gemlike quality. We went on a huge rabbit trail with the book, actually visiting a neighboring island (Santa Cruz) and seeing many of the cormorants, dolphins and other animals mentioned in the book. Karana is buried in the Santa Barbara mission cemetery (we visited that as well). The Channel Islands are one of CA's best kept secrets! We took the trip 3 yrs ago and our kids hail it as our best family vacation. Hubby ventured with the older kids kayaking into some of the caves on the island and we hiked around all day. Even today the island is rustic and not at all for the Disneyland crowd.
Interestingly enough, Karana died shortly after being rescued. She never adjusted to the dietary changes but she never was seen without a smile on her face. Though unable to communicate with the main landers, she was happy to have companions.
Enjoy!!
“Those underwater shots are freaking me out!” I whispered to my friend, Ruth Ann. “I keep expecting a shark to—aaah!!”
You crack me up.
Island of the Blue Dolphins was a huge favorite at my elementary school. I've been thinking I should read it again.
I did a homeshooled girls' (mostly going into 6th grade) book club this summer and our first book was IOBD. We met weekly to discuss a few chapters. The girls loved the book and were amazing at pulling out the themes.
We also looked at the setting, coastal CA, talked about the missions, Bl. Junipero Serra, and had some wonderful discussions about the triumph of the human spirit. The girls were amazed that they enjoyed such a sad (at times) book.
Next summer it is The Bronze Bow…