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Caught Up in a Story: Fostering a Storyformed Life of Great Books & Imagination with Your Children
What is imagination, and why is it vital to childhood education? What role do great books play in shaping a child's perception of self, life, and even God?In Caught Up in a Story , Sarah Clarkson answers these vital questions, demonstrating how great books can be a parent's best ally in shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true.Drawing on her own storyformed childhood and her long study of children's literature, Sarah Clarkson explores and celebrates the soul-forming power of story to help children imagine, and live, a great story of their own.
138 pages, Paperback
First published September 8, 2014
73 people are currently reading
1326 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Clarkson
10 books1,219 followersSarah Clarkson is an author, a blogger, and a student of theology. She graduated from Wycliffe Hall, in Oxford, with a bachelor's degree in theology and is currently at work on a Master's degree in modern doctrine. She's the author of Read for the Heart (a guide to children's literature), Caught Up in a Story (on the formative power of story), and The Lifegiving Home (on the gift of creating a place of belonging), as well as the upcoming Book Girl (a woman's guide to the reading life). 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 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 daughter, Lilian.
You can also connect with Sarah on Facebook and Instagram.
You can also connect with Sarah on Facebook and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 8, 2016
I was incredibly touched by this book. It filled me in a way I didn't even realize I was thirsty for until I read it. Although its ostensible purpose is to advocate for a "storyformed" childhood (and it does a fine job of that), this book is so much more.
It is a "reader's memoir," full of stories about meaningful books the author grew up with. It plunged me back into my own childhood and made me remember stories I hadn't even realized had shaped me so profoundly.
Even more than a walk down memory lane, though, it was an incredible validation to me, as an author, about why I do what I do. It speaks to the Christian walk powerfully and with much encouragement. It's a quiet, unobstrusive book. But epochal for all that.
Honestly, I think it just changed my life.
It is a "reader's memoir," full of stories about meaningful books the author grew up with. It plunged me back into my own childhood and made me remember stories I hadn't even realized had shaped me so profoundly.
Even more than a walk down memory lane, though, it was an incredible validation to me, as an author, about why I do what I do. It speaks to the Christian walk powerfully and with much encouragement. It's a quiet, unobstrusive book. But epochal for all that.
Honestly, I think it just changed my life.
September 18, 2014
When I was a child I cried my eyes dry when The Little Match Girl struck her last match to keep warm and found her grandmother. When The Little Mermaid turned into foam on the waves of the sea, I was moved to deep pity. It was so important to me that The Velveteen Rabbit not be burned with the garbage that even to this day I sleep with the rag doll my mama made me when I was two months old, just to be sure that she stays "real." I once stunned my mother by eagerly eating my green beans at dinner. . .a side dish I normally loathed, despised and abominated. . .and all because I had just finished The Long Winter.
Reading the right stories as a child made me want to be a good, kind, grateful, obedient-- and maybe just a little bit magical--little girl.
As a mother (and now as Marmee) I have wanted to put the right kind of stories in my children's imaginations so that they will aspire to noble things and have a vibrant life of the mind. I strongly believe (and my observations have affirmed) that putting the WRONG kinds of stories into our children's hands makes them more base in their expectation, crude in their demeanor and limited in their interpersonal interactions.
Caught Up in a Story is a short, but potent, rallying call to the heart of parents regarding how and why to invest the time to purposefully craft a child's worldview through great literature.
Reading the right stories as a child made me want to be a good, kind, grateful, obedient-- and maybe just a little bit magical--little girl.
As a mother (and now as Marmee) I have wanted to put the right kind of stories in my children's imaginations so that they will aspire to noble things and have a vibrant life of the mind. I strongly believe (and my observations have affirmed) that putting the WRONG kinds of stories into our children's hands makes them more base in their expectation, crude in their demeanor and limited in their interpersonal interactions.
Caught Up in a Story is a short, but potent, rallying call to the heart of parents regarding how and why to invest the time to purposefully craft a child's worldview through great literature.
June 14, 2015
Having grown up “storyformed,” I knew reading was powerful … but I didn’t fully realize how powerful until I read Caught Up in a Story. “Storyformed” is a word Ms. Clarkson appears to have coined (it’s the name of her website, too) that means that a person’s understanding of life has been formed by the great stories they have read. Fiction (and narrative biography), because it immerses you in another life, another world, can teach and transform you like no nonfiction and reference books can. Reading great books grows your spiritual life, interests you in new pursuits, enriches your vocabulary (and by extension your understanding of the world), teaches you how to live life heroically, and gives you hope for the ultimate Happy Ending. Instead of distracting you from life, reading story is essential to keeping you focused on God’s ideal for life.
I could go on and on about the benefits of story, which Ms. Clarkson outlines so poetically in her book. But I should delve into the other facets. I loved the way she organized it: associating a point in the classic “dramatic arc” (exposition, rising action, crisis, falling action, denouement), to a particular stage of childhood development, and then explaining the association and capping off each with ten appropriate books. Because she is so well read, I’ve added most of the books I have not yet read to my to-read list.
She advocates fantasy (at least fantasy based on Christian values, like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings) because it helps children grasp the epic nature of life. I personally thinks she makes a good point about it (though I’ll never feel comfortable reading or recommending Harry Potter, which she mentions), but if you’re not okay with fantasy, bear this in mind. You will probably still get a lot out of the parts that just talk about general fiction and classics.
Her writing is elegant and welcoming, and she illustrates her reasoning with personal anecdotes. The book is addressed to parents, since they are charged with shaping their children’s moral worldview, but anyone who values reading will find an exciting treasury of insights.
I could go on and on about the benefits of story, which Ms. Clarkson outlines so poetically in her book. But I should delve into the other facets. I loved the way she organized it: associating a point in the classic “dramatic arc” (exposition, rising action, crisis, falling action, denouement), to a particular stage of childhood development, and then explaining the association and capping off each with ten appropriate books. Because she is so well read, I’ve added most of the books I have not yet read to my to-read list.
She advocates fantasy (at least fantasy based on Christian values, like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings) because it helps children grasp the epic nature of life. I personally thinks she makes a good point about it (though I’ll never feel comfortable reading or recommending Harry Potter, which she mentions), but if you’re not okay with fantasy, bear this in mind. You will probably still get a lot out of the parts that just talk about general fiction and classics.
Her writing is elegant and welcoming, and she illustrates her reasoning with personal anecdotes. The book is addressed to parents, since they are charged with shaping their children’s moral worldview, but anyone who values reading will find an exciting treasury of insights.
June 22, 2015
A couple of days ago I read Caught Up in a Story: Fostering a Storyformed Life of Great Books & Imagination with Your Children by Sarah Clarkson. It's very short, but would make a good gift for young parents.
For decades one of my go-to baby shower gifts has been a selection of picture books and one or two classic books for older children (e.g., The Wizard of Oz, The Box Car Children, The Secret Garden, etc.) and - when I remember it - a copy of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Sarah Clarkson's book would be another one I would include in that mix.
If you are older, like me, you may be familiar with Annis Duff's lovely books on books and reading aloud: "Bequest of Wings" and "Longer Flight." This book pales in comparison to those, but as they are out of print and this is new (and well-written), it's a satisfactory substitute.
For decades one of my go-to baby shower gifts has been a selection of picture books and one or two classic books for older children (e.g., The Wizard of Oz, The Box Car Children, The Secret Garden, etc.) and - when I remember it - a copy of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Sarah Clarkson's book would be another one I would include in that mix.
If you are older, like me, you may be familiar with Annis Duff's lovely books on books and reading aloud: "Bequest of Wings" and "Longer Flight." This book pales in comparison to those, but as they are out of print and this is new (and well-written), it's a satisfactory substitute.
May 6, 2020
This was a fantastic easy and extremely profitable read. I'm very glad that I read it.
I personally found the author's writing style very articulate, comprehensible and sometimes amusing.
It was a very informative and easy read.
The message of the book was clear and her reasoning was sound.
I will be reading more by Sarah Clarkson in the future.
I personally found the author's writing style very articulate, comprehensible and sometimes amusing.
It was a very informative and easy read.
The message of the book was clear and her reasoning was sound.
I will be reading more by Sarah Clarkson in the future.
April 28, 2017
I enjoyed reading the perspective of a homeschool graduate, telling tales of how her life was formed by stories. Overall the book was very encouraging--with excellent book recommendations strewn throughout.
There were two slight and minor drawbacks, however--although no fault of the author's. For one, the book is (of course) heavily swayed toward the feminine experience of growing up "storyformed." It left me yearning for Sarah's brother to pen a similar account. As a mother of all sons, I would love to hear the inner workings of a boyhood shaped by stories. The book does touch on her storyformed adventures alongside her brothers while growing up--but missing the first-person insight from a boy's mind and heart. Nevertheless, this book still was a great motivational push for me...a push to keep reading aloud to my boys...knowing that by doing so I am shaping their very foundations. The book's overarching theme to read, read, read quality literature to children is applicable to young/old and both genders.
The second drawback is the author's age--Sarah Clarkson is a college student. There is a subtle hint of naivety woven throughout the book....as she has never been a parent herself but has, in essence, directed her book as a manual to: parents. The book is broken up into the different phases of childhood development, giving suggestions to parents on how to use literature to assist the child's formative stages. I appreciated this concise organization and found it insightful on many levels. However, it's one thing to have lived as a storyformed child, but quite another task to teach parents how-it-is-done.... without ever having....done it. It lacked the tried-and-true "here's how I transferred my storyformed methodology in real life, to real children." Instead she paves a path for us based on her own memories of what her parents did for her--and memories are often rosy and lacking the bumps and grit. I would much more have loved her book to simply be an autobiography--because her story is truly inspiring. I loved her philosophy and the insight into her childhood shaped by books, but I struggled to connect with her as a parent in the trenches.
Overall this book was well worth the read, and most of my copy is highlighted. I plan to reference this book often for book recommendations in the various childhood stages.
There were two slight and minor drawbacks, however--although no fault of the author's. For one, the book is (of course) heavily swayed toward the feminine experience of growing up "storyformed." It left me yearning for Sarah's brother to pen a similar account. As a mother of all sons, I would love to hear the inner workings of a boyhood shaped by stories. The book does touch on her storyformed adventures alongside her brothers while growing up--but missing the first-person insight from a boy's mind and heart. Nevertheless, this book still was a great motivational push for me...a push to keep reading aloud to my boys...knowing that by doing so I am shaping their very foundations. The book's overarching theme to read, read, read quality literature to children is applicable to young/old and both genders.
The second drawback is the author's age--Sarah Clarkson is a college student. There is a subtle hint of naivety woven throughout the book....as she has never been a parent herself but has, in essence, directed her book as a manual to: parents. The book is broken up into the different phases of childhood development, giving suggestions to parents on how to use literature to assist the child's formative stages. I appreciated this concise organization and found it insightful on many levels. However, it's one thing to have lived as a storyformed child, but quite another task to teach parents how-it-is-done.... without ever having....done it. It lacked the tried-and-true "here's how I transferred my storyformed methodology in real life, to real children." Instead she paves a path for us based on her own memories of what her parents did for her--and memories are often rosy and lacking the bumps and grit. I would much more have loved her book to simply be an autobiography--because her story is truly inspiring. I loved her philosophy and the insight into her childhood shaped by books, but I struggled to connect with her as a parent in the trenches.
Overall this book was well worth the read, and most of my copy is highlighted. I plan to reference this book often for book recommendations in the various childhood stages.
July 11, 2017
This book paints a beautiful picture of raising children who are "story-formed," which means giving them a solid foundation in truth, beauty, and goodness through story so that they are inspired to hope, to persevere through hardship, and to lead heroic lives. This book blew up my "want to read" list, both for myself and with my children, and offers such a beautiful and practical way of equipping our children to face the inevitable hardships of this world. Not exactly a "parenting book," but a wonderful parenting resource nonetheless.
May 8, 2017
Sarah Clarkson has written a book that sums up my educational philosophy on reading and on life: the storyformed soul...that this life is an epic tale created by the Greatest Storyteller and "each of us has but one tale to live as valiantly" or as vile as we can. There are "soul forming, self-shaping" influences in the stories we read.
Favorite quote: "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten." Chesterton (62)
Favorite quote: "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten." Chesterton (62)
March 3, 2018
If you need reaffirmation of the value of reading to your children and providing them with the best literature to read for themselves, this is your book! Some will remember the book Honey for a Child’s Heart and this book at times reminded me of it. Great insights on the role, value and spiritual need of imagination that is shaped by good books.
I also think that many young adult ladies (and their parents) would also benefit from Sarah’s reflections, scattered here and there, on the temptations and doubts of the teen and young adult years.
I also think that many young adult ladies (and their parents) would also benefit from Sarah’s reflections, scattered here and there, on the temptations and doubts of the teen and young adult years.
December 5, 2019
Clarkson shares her enthusiasm for the wonderful books that formed her as a child and makes many suggestions for reading. The only reason I didn't give it more stars is because I dislike books that seem to say, "Just read this or do this and your kids will turn out amazing." It's not that simple.
August 3, 2017
This book is so rich. It is abundant in encouragement and filled with Truth. It deserves a slow, quiet read that I did not give it, but hope to in the future. It has warmed me and validated things I understood in the periphery of my mind but did not have the words to express. Thanks, Sarah.
March 9, 2017
This is probably one of the most important and encouraging books I've read in a few years. It expounded and clarified the vague sense I've carried since childhood that reading and stories were important and part of my identity. We can truly be changed by what we read, so what we choose to read ourselves and to our children holds eternal weight. Less
September 28, 2025
Having found Sarah Clarkson a kindred spirit in her "Book Girl", I had very high hopes for this book and it surpassed every one of them! As someone who is already striving to give her children a "storyformed life", I found the pages full of encouragement and validation of my efforts. It reminded me how important that effort is, and through the sharing of Sarah's own story, I saw the incredible impact that stories can have on a young person's life. This is a book every parent should read!
January 6, 2015
Absolutely breathtaking read. This author is so wise and I'm sold on anything she writes. I have always been a fan of story and reading to my children...but this took it to a whole new level. Clarkson really understands how story and really good books affect children. Her book suggestions are amazing and I'm just completely sold in this amazing author.
June 10, 2016
Sarah is an excellent writer. I enjoyed her stories of healing through books. She filled up my Amazon cart, though I have read many she recommended as well. I especially appreciated her well-thought out argument for the Harry Potter books for Christian families.
March 6, 2015
I can think of no higher compliment than to say that Ms. Clarkson's prose reminds me of C.S. Lewis's writing, but more female, in a very good way.
March 8, 2017
There were some great moments in this book - but it felt like the author took what should have been a short essay or article and tried to stretch it to book length.
February 10, 2015
An argument for story-formed living living that shapes our family life.
August 4, 2022
Inspirational Must Read
I don’t know how to thank Sarah enough for this book! She has so gently, ornately, showed me a world that is designed by the pages of books. She grew up becoming Story-formed.
“If we could imagine great stories, there was the chance, the hope, that we could live them too.” Page 3
Reading her pages of missional hope, careful gospel, and a whole host of books recommended to us to read, I couldn’t help but be affected by her words. Halfway through, I had to stop and rearrange our homeschool schedule to add in more stories. More readalouds!
“Imagination, as the driving force of creativity, intuitive insight, and faith, is the gift that can set any young child on the road to spiritual discovery and artistic ingenuity. But it is a faculty that must be actively kindled, cultivated, and nourished from the earliest of years.” Page 22
Sarah, you have set off a vision and a mission in my own heart. I hope to create the beauty that is heartbeat of your childhood home and the legacy of my own home. Stories are not to be under estimated but ought to be the topic of constant conversation.
“Faithfulness is to live in such fidelity to our hope that what we hope becomes visible,” page 89
Thank you, Sarah @sarahwanders , for your words! They’ve overflowed from your heart and directly into mine.
10/10 must read this book! You MUST read this book!! I’ve been recommending it to anyone willing to have a conversation with me lately. I cannot stop talking about it!
I don’t know how to thank Sarah enough for this book! She has so gently, ornately, showed me a world that is designed by the pages of books. She grew up becoming Story-formed.
“If we could imagine great stories, there was the chance, the hope, that we could live them too.” Page 3
Reading her pages of missional hope, careful gospel, and a whole host of books recommended to us to read, I couldn’t help but be affected by her words. Halfway through, I had to stop and rearrange our homeschool schedule to add in more stories. More readalouds!
“Imagination, as the driving force of creativity, intuitive insight, and faith, is the gift that can set any young child on the road to spiritual discovery and artistic ingenuity. But it is a faculty that must be actively kindled, cultivated, and nourished from the earliest of years.” Page 22
Sarah, you have set off a vision and a mission in my own heart. I hope to create the beauty that is heartbeat of your childhood home and the legacy of my own home. Stories are not to be under estimated but ought to be the topic of constant conversation.
“Faithfulness is to live in such fidelity to our hope that what we hope becomes visible,” page 89
Thank you, Sarah @sarahwanders , for your words! They’ve overflowed from your heart and directly into mine.
10/10 must read this book! You MUST read this book!! I’ve been recommending it to anyone willing to have a conversation with me lately. I cannot stop talking about it!
March 21, 2018
"How will you respond to a broken world? Will you take every bit of goodness and love you have ever known and use it to fight the darkness and win your way back to light? Or will you give in; will you let the darkness turn you into a villain? Hero or villain. Courage or fear. Hope or despair. The first crisis of struggle in a child's life are a series of small climax points on which their stories turn. Those are moments in which the direction of their story is formed. In the midst of those crisis times, when loneliness or fear are a heavy fog blotting out hope, great stories come as a mighty wind blowing grace and courage into a child's heart. The hero tales, the epic myths, the tales of quests and dragons, knights and journeys can enter the pain and confusion of a child's mind with a healing clarity. As Chesteron said, "fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten."
I love Sarah Clarkson and her book. It is a quick read with a valuable, manageable reading list for various stages of childhood and young adulthood (I found new ones to read, too). She has given us a treasure of a book with an extremely articulate and beautifully written defense of the spiritual value of great stories for our kids and our own souls. A great companion to Honey for a Child's Heart and other such books.
I love Sarah Clarkson and her book. It is a quick read with a valuable, manageable reading list for various stages of childhood and young adulthood (I found new ones to read, too). She has given us a treasure of a book with an extremely articulate and beautifully written defense of the spiritual value of great stories for our kids and our own souls. A great companion to Honey for a Child's Heart and other such books.
February 19, 2018
Inspiring book. Unique point of view. I already love reading aloud to my kids and discussing books but this got me excited about how I might be forming my children's worldview and faith even more.
Quotes:
"How will you respond to a broken world? Will you take every bit of goodness and love you have ever known and use it to fight the darkness and win your way back to light? Or will you give in; will you let the darkness turn you into a villain?
Hero or villain. Courage or fear. Hope or despair. The first crises of struggle in a child's life are a series of small climax points on which their stories turn. Those are the moments in which the direction of their story is formed. In the midst of those crisis times, when loneliness or fear are a heavy fog blotting out hope, great stories come as a mighty wind blowing grace and courage into a child's heart."
"To be truly faithful isn't merely to endure; it is also to create. The kind of faithfulness that Stella and my other heroines possessed was the kind that comes with the choice to fix our eyes on the beauty promised and already present in Christ, and to let that drive our actions rather than despair...Faithfulness to live in such fidelity to our hope that what we hope becomes visible, enfleshed in the words and actions with which we meet the darkness."
Quotes:
"How will you respond to a broken world? Will you take every bit of goodness and love you have ever known and use it to fight the darkness and win your way back to light? Or will you give in; will you let the darkness turn you into a villain?
Hero or villain. Courage or fear. Hope or despair. The first crises of struggle in a child's life are a series of small climax points on which their stories turn. Those are the moments in which the direction of their story is formed. In the midst of those crisis times, when loneliness or fear are a heavy fog blotting out hope, great stories come as a mighty wind blowing grace and courage into a child's heart."
"To be truly faithful isn't merely to endure; it is also to create. The kind of faithfulness that Stella and my other heroines possessed was the kind that comes with the choice to fix our eyes on the beauty promised and already present in Christ, and to let that drive our actions rather than despair...Faithfulness to live in such fidelity to our hope that what we hope becomes visible, enfleshed in the words and actions with which we meet the darkness."
July 2, 2017
I'm in the minority here, but I did not love this book. I love reading to my kids and having a family culture in which books play a main role, but I found this book a slog to get through. It either felt like she was telling me things I already knew, or she was engaging is lengthy (and charming) descriptions of her literary-rich childhood (I actually enjoyed her moments of nostalgia, but I didn't really learn much from them except that I wish we lived in the forest and my kids were older so we could read more). The book is fine, I just didn't love it, personally. I can see how others might, though. I did appreciate some of her book recommendations (though they're pretty standard). The book pairs nicely with a website I've been browsing called the Read-Aloud Revival, that also has book recommendation lists for children of various ages, with an emphasis on books that are great for reading aloud.
March 7, 2023
Because I've read other books by Clarkson and her mother, I knew that Sarah would share strong supporting commentary on the value of reading--good and great books, those that would be considered classics. Those books contain good writing, as well as well-developed characters and story lines. They would also have good models for attitudes, behavior, and character development for children.
Clarkson draws from her own "storyformed life" as she provides a list of ten titles she would recommend in "shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true." She celebrates the "soul-forming power of story" for children to develop imagination, to broaden minds, and to nurture faith and knowing God.
She also wants children to use their imaginations to develop and live their own stories.
This is a fairly easy read, which parents will appreciate if they want to help their children to love literature and be "caught up in a story."
Clarkson draws from her own "storyformed life" as she provides a list of ten titles she would recommend in "shaping a child to love what is beautiful, pursue what is good, and grasp what is true." She celebrates the "soul-forming power of story" for children to develop imagination, to broaden minds, and to nurture faith and knowing God.
She also wants children to use their imaginations to develop and live their own stories.
This is a fairly easy read, which parents will appreciate if they want to help their children to love literature and be "caught up in a story."
February 13, 2023
This is a great book if you are wanting a list of books to fill your home for your children throughout all stages of life. In all honesty, when I purchased this book I thought I was actually getting Sarah Clarkson’s “Read for the Heart” which has much longer book lists. This book is specifically for parents who are wanting to find great fiction books to read aloud or have their children read in order to inspire them in their own lives and encourage them to be heroes of their own stories!
I give four stars only because I believe Read for the Heart and Book Girl are incredible in comparison but I found this book to be great in its own right! I’ll read anything by Sarah Clarkson and getting to hear her own stories of how these books inspired her in her youth make me feel that much closer to her as a friend.
I give four stars only because I believe Read for the Heart and Book Girl are incredible in comparison but I found this book to be great in its own right! I’ll read anything by Sarah Clarkson and getting to hear her own stories of how these books inspired her in her youth make me feel that much closer to her as a friend.
April 22, 2025
The book was a balm for my heart! Describing how to create (and why!) a story formed life, the author described many elements that were common of my own literature rich childhood which made me immensely grateful to my parents. The book recommendations for children were wonderful (I added many to my own reading list, though I’m an adult!)
I was a bit hesitant at a few points when the author seemed to say that she turned to literature for help and encouragement over the Bible. Of course, her point is that literature brought her back to the truths of scripture; but this is a point that I just can’t agree with. Scripture is elevated above all literature and writings; we must be sure to clearly differentiate that to our children even though God may use other writings to reinforce the truths of Scripture.
I was a bit hesitant at a few points when the author seemed to say that she turned to literature for help and encouragement over the Bible. Of course, her point is that literature brought her back to the truths of scripture; but this is a point that I just can’t agree with. Scripture is elevated above all literature and writings; we must be sure to clearly differentiate that to our children even though God may use other writings to reinforce the truths of Scripture.
September 22, 2020
I’ve been listening and reading various things from Sarah about the storyformed concept, so while a lot of the information was repetitive from reading it a second time, it was refreshing to have everything in one book. While I believe her biblical worldview is lacking (weak on God’s sovereignty) and she seems to shy away from distinctly Christian terms (heroic vs faithful/obedient), her argument of our narratives being a part of the greater narrative of God is spot on. She explains the concept of “holy imagination” in a beautiful way. I greatly appreciated her information on Lewis and Tolkien. I believe she may have convinced me to read TLTR Trilogy.
February 18, 2019
This book is beautifully written and inspiring. We are very much a bookish family and books/reading out loud is a huge part of our family culture. It brings such joy to our daily life! Even though we are well established book lovers I’ve still gotten a lot out this thought-provoking work. There is also some excellent book recommendations peppered throughout it and it inspires me to continue my goal of giving my children a story formed childhood! I also intend to purchase extra copies to give as gifts as I think every parent could benefit from this book!
January 3, 2020
I really, really enjoyed this slim book. It's a bit dense in places, but I marked a dozen quotes to copy to my commonplace book, and half a dozen books to add to my read-aloud queue. There were many more books recommended within, but this is nowhere close to the first book I've read on the subject, and I'm a bit fanatic about book lists. Six new books to add is pretty great. I was also happy to see many of my favorites on her lists, and I'm happy to recommend this to fellow parents.
January 27, 2020
I enjoyed this book a lot. It mirrored my own childhood, full of books and imagination. The case made for fantasy here is weak and does not address the biblical bases that is the foundation for many people of their trepidation. I doubt this book will make anyone change their mind.
However, for most of the book, I wholeheartedly agreed with Clarkson's analysis on the power of books in shaping our lives.
However, for most of the book, I wholeheartedly agreed with Clarkson's analysis on the power of books in shaping our lives.
August 1, 2021
As a reader, who wants to raise a reader, I enjoyed this so much! I added books to my wishlist at I rea. I nodded about characters I already knew & reminisced about the stories I love. I hadn't considered before how deep the inspact of story can be/has been in my life or could be in the life of my daughter. I'm excited to have an expanded view of the literature I love & how to foster that love in my girl.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews