Stories from the Ashes Podcast

Content Considerations: this episode contains references to childhood abuse and trauma as well as discussing spanking- we didn’t see it coming either :)

Our Guest: Author Jeri Massi was a childhood favorite of Ambre’s (and Inara’s!) and we’re so grateful to hear what was on her heart while writing these stories.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Links can be found here. Thank you for your support!

Featured books in this episode:

The Bracken Trilogy by Jeri Massi

* The Bridge

* Crown and Jewel

* Two Collars

Peabody Adventure Series by Jeri Massi

* Derwood Inc.

* A Dangerous Game

* Treasure In The Yukon

* Courage By Darkness

* Llamas on the Loose

* Abandoned

Scout by Julie Nye

Every Perfect Gift by Julie Nye

Join the conversation: What’s your take on male and female friendships? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Our Guest: Author Dawn L. Watkins- see our original interview here. Read her thoughts on the need for fantasy here:

This episode is different from our typical as it’s chock full of spoilers. If you have read the books, don’t mind spoilers, or think you’ll likely just give the books to your kids and not read them yourself (please reconsider- read Shield, at minimum, before deciding to pass) then this episode is for you!

Books discussed in this episode:

The Gadallan Trilogy:

* Shield

* Medallion

* Arrow

This series was written so each book could be read as a standalone though they follow the same places and families through time. The above order is chronological, not publication, but they may be read both ways.

If you have read this series, please share your favorite book and any questions you may yet have for the author.

If you plan to order these books and wish to support us with that purchase, affiliate links can be found here.

Our Guest: Nancy Kelly of Sage Parnassus- we are so grateful that she was able to have the energy to visit with us while she recovered from a round of the Rona!

Nancy has so generously compiled a list of her family’s favorite Christmas books- over 150 titles, in a free pdf that can be found here: Kelly Family Christmas Book List.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you for your support!

Featured books in this episode:

* The Gospel of John read alongside the Scale How Meditations by Charlotte Mason

* Charlotte Mason Home Education Series (Nancy’s favorite volume is no. 4 Ourselves)

* Sir Gibbie by George MacDonald

* The George MacDonald Christmas Collection selected by David Jack

* Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry

* Zao’s Tales by J. A. Sommer

* The Gift of the Magi a short story by O. Henry

* The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

* The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann

* The Story of Us by Mitali Perkins

* Mousekins's Christmas Eve by Edna Miller

* Forever Christmas by Harry Davis

* The Tall Book of Christmas by Dorothy Hall Smith

* A Certain Small Shepherd by Rebecca Caudill

* Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree by Robert Barry

* The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree by Gloria Houston

* The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter

* Take Joy! The Tasha Tudor Christmas Book by Tasha Tudor

* On That Night by Elizabeth Yates

* A Grandma for Christmas by Alta Halverson Seymour

* A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

* Papa Panov's Special Christmas translated into English by Leo Tolstoy

* The Other Wise Man by Henry van Dyke

* The Chimes by Charles Dickens

* The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens

* The Art of Advent: A Painting a Day from Advent to Epiphany by Jane Williams

* The Glorious Impossible by Madeleine L'Engle

* Wounded in Spirit: Advent Art and Meditations by David Bannon

* The Christmas Story from The Metropolitan Museum of Art

* Christmas Is Coming!: Celebrate the Holiday with Art, Stories, Poems, Songs, and Recipes by The Metropolitan Museum of Art

* The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford

* The Dean’s Watch by Elizabeth Goudge

* Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

* Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

* The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

* Corrie’s Christmas Memories by Corrie ten Boom

* A Christmas Book by Elizabeth Goudge

* Maple & Willow’s Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols

* Maple & Willow Apart by Lori Nichols

* Good King Wenceslas

* Christmas Around the World series by Alta Halverson Seymour

* Turkey for Christmas by Marguerite de Angeli

* The Lion in the Box by Marguerite de Angeli

* The Box of Delights by John Masefield

Christmas audio programs:

* Three Wise Men and a Baby by Jungle Jam and Friends the Radio Show

* The King Has Arrived by Michael J. Tinker

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Belvedere Mansion and Gardens in Galena, Illinois. Houses a beautiful collection of Christian art.

Kelly Family Christmas Book List- free pdf of over 150 Christmas titles

Join the conversation! We would love to hear what your favorite Christmas books and family holiday traditions are!

Our Guest: Aaron “Hutch” Hutchings is an incredible adventure guide and real life survival specialist.

* Hutch’s site: Ready Set Adventure. Be sure to check out all the free activities available including plans to build a kid’s crossbow! You can also purchase adventure kits to complete with your kids!

* One of Hutch’s books: Pocket Field Guide: the QUINZHEE: How to Build a Survival Snow Shelter

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you for your support!

Featured books in this episode (some were not named, only alluded to):

* Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

* The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

* Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

* Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle

* Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

* Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit by Creek Stewart

* The Boy Pioneers: Sons of Daniel Boone by Daniel Beard

* The Field and Forest Handy Book: New Ideas for Out of Doors by Daniel Beard

* Mythology by Edith Hamilton

* Myths and Legends by Jake Jackson

* The Myth of Rome’s Fall by Richard Mansfield Haywood

* Bulfinch’s Mythology (Ambre recommends the Book of Mythology selected stories illustrated by Helen Sewell for it’s tasteful illustrations)

* Wildwood Wisdom by Ellsworth Jaeger

* The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.

* Maybe Tomorrow? (a Story about Loss, Healing, and Friendship) by Charlotte Agell

* My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

* Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

* Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

* Moby Dick by Herman Melville

* The Princess Bride by William Goldman

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our episodes!

To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Thank you for listening to Stories from the Ashes! This podcast is public so please feel free to share it!

Our Guest: Mary Banducci is an herbalist, forager, and designer of the Foraging Journal.

* Follow her on Instagram at Apothecary Mary

* Check out her post on building A Forager’s Library

* Visit her website for articles, recipes, foraging tips, and more!

* Learn more about her Forager’s Journal here.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you for your support!

Featured books in this episode:

* Chalice by Robin McKinley

* The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman

* A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond

* Galileo and the Stargazers Jim Weiss

* The Horse and His Boy by CS Lewis

* Jack Zulu by S.D. and J.C. Smith

* Mismantle Chronicles by M.I. McAllister

* Green Ember series by S.D. Smith

* Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

* Wild Edibles: A Practical Guide to Foraging, with Easy Identification of 60 Edible Plants and 67 Recipes by Sergei Boutenko

* Regional Foraging Series- Workman Publishing

* Wild Remedies: How to Forage Healing Foods and Craft Your Own Herbal Medicine by Rosalee de la Forêt

* The People’s Home Library by R. C. Barnum

* Jo’s Boys by Louisa May Alcott

* A Weed Is a Flower: The Life of George Washington Carver by Aliki

* George Washington Carver, Scientist by Shirley Graham and George D. Lipscomb

Our conversation gave a great introduction to Hopepunk vs Grimdark: Hope does not disappoint…

Recommended Resources:

* Joette Calabrese- Practical Homeopathy Inc.

* Teach Me Health and Homeopathy Homeschool Curriculum by Paola Brown

* Marshmallow recipe (isn’t Mary’s marshmallow picture mouthwatering?)

* Ambre’s Hummingbird Moth video

* The Next Right Thing podcast

* Purple House Press

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our episodes!

To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Our Guests: S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith, authors (Sam and Josiah).

You can find out more about their new book: Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key, here.

You can learn more about Sam’s Green Ember Series here.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you- we truly appreciate it!

Featured books in this episode:

* Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith

* The Green Ember series

* Christy by Catherine Marshall

* Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Thank you for spending time with us! Please join the conversation in the comments below!

* What are some of your favorite books that look at “The way of life vs The way of death”? Or “Greatness vs Goodness”? I’m always looking for more books on those themes for our shelves!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our episodes! To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Our Guest: Author/Illustrator Tim Davis. See his portfolio here. Schedule him for a three day school visit here.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you- we truly appreciate it!

Featured books in this episode:

* The Tim Davis Mice Books

* Mice of the Herring Bone by Tim Davis

* Mice of the Nine Lives by Tim Davis

* Mice of the Seven Seas by Tim Davis

* Mice of the Westing Wind, Book One by Tim Davis

* Mice of the Westing Wind, Book Two by Tim Davis

* The Island Rules trilogy

* The Island Rule by Tim Davis

* The Island Rules? by Tim Davis

* The Island Rules! by Tim Davis (video and song accompaniment)

* Mort the Mushroom (trilogy) by Tim Davis

* Mort and the Sour Scheme by Tim Davis

* Mort Finds His Roots: Mushroom in the Wild by Tim Davis

* Mort’s Circle by Tim Davis

* Pirate’s Don’t Change Diapers by Melinda Long

* Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

* Muppet Treasure Island (movie)

* The Pirates of Penzance by Gilbert and Sullivan (watch free on YouTube)

* On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior

* The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien

* Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

* Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

* Holes by Louis Sachar

* Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare by Edith Nesbit

* Midsummer’s Nights Dream by William Shakespeare

* Midsummer’s Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca (correction from the episode- I (Ambre) said the little Indian boy in the book represented Puck when- duh! he obviously is simply the little Indian boy from the play.)

* Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca

Thank you for spending time with us! Please join the conversation in the comments below!

* Did you read the Mice books as a kid too? Did you know there were five in the original series‽

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our episodes! To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you- we truly appreciate it!

Featured books in this episode:

* The Magical Drawings of Moonie B. Finch by David McPhail

* Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

* Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. and J.C. Smith: Pre-orders open October 4th! Watch for our episode with them in two weeks! (Oct. 10th, 2022)

* Treasures of the Snow by Patricia St. John- Archive copy

* Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Jen Hill

* The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis

* Persuasion by Jane Austen

* One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

* Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

* Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

* Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

* Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and Diet Dictocrats by Sally Fallon

* Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Weston A. Price, DDS

* Medallion by Dawn L. Watkins

* Johnny Tremain: A Story of Boston in Revolt by Esther Forbes

* The Bridge by Jeri Massi

* Runaway Princess by Milly Howard

* Give and Take by Elly Swartz

* Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Deborah Hocking

* Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

* Robin Hood by Howard Pyle

* Emma by Jane Austen

Thank you for spending time with us! Please join the conversation in the comments below!

* Please share a book that has been formative or influential in your life,

or… Share a book where you felt seen. We’d love to get to know you better!

-If your kids/teens have a book they would like to pitch to our community, please submit their brief reviews to [email protected]. Include their first name, last initial, and age. Thank you! (It’s absolutely fine to submit a review for a book we reviewed already in an episode- we want to hear their voices!) If their review is aired we’ll send them a sticker!

* GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our episodes! To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Our Guest: Jamin Still is an artist, author, and illustrator. Find his show schedule, books, and art prints on his website JaminStill.com. His The Artists & Podcast.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. Thank you!

Jamin Still Art Calendars release this week! Check back for an update!

Featured books in this episode:

* Tales of Hibaria: The Awakening by Jamin Still

* The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg

* The Silver Crown by Robert C. O’Brien

* Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

* Agatha Christie mysteries

* The Wishes of a Fish King by Douglas Kaine McKelvey, illustrated by Jamin Still

* The Avion My Uncle Flew by Cyrus Fisher, reprint illustrated by Jamin Still

* Ellen and the Winter Wolves by Jamin Still

* Beate Not the Poore Desk: A Writer to Young Writers by Walter Wangerin Jr., illustrated by Jamin Still

* Everlasting Is the Past by Walter Wangerin Jr., illustrated by Jamin Still

* Awaking Wonder: Opening Your Child's Heart to the Beauty of Learning by Sally Clarkson, illustrated by Jamin Still

* Skyward Series by Brandon Sanderson

* Green Ember Series by S.D. Smith

Websites and Resources mentioned:

* Story Warren

* Reshelving Alexandria’s Literary Database

-If your kids/teens have a book they would like to pitch to our community, please submit their brief reviews to [email protected]. Include their first name, last initial, and age. Thank you! (It’s absolutely fine to submit a review for a book we reviewed already in an episode- we want to hear their voices!)

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our podcasts! To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Thank you for listening to the Stories from the Ashes podcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!

Our Guest: Amber O’Neal Johnston of Heritage Mom and author of A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond.

Find a free literary database containing books we discuss on the podcast here:

Links on our website are often affiliate links- they don’t cost you any extra to use but they greatly help support the costs of running this site. To find the affiliate links from this episode please click here. you- we truly appreciate it!

Featured books in this episode:

* Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

* Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

* A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond by Amber O’Neal Johnston

* Gladiola Garden by Effie Lee Newsome

* A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning by Karen Andreola

* Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

* The Mystery of the Loch Ness Monster by Jeannie Bendick

* A History of African-American Artists from 1792 to the Present by Romare Bearden

Websites and Resources mentioned:

* Stories of Color: Diverse, multicultural living books

* Reshelving Alexandria Literary Catalogue

* Heritage Packs: Multicultural Lesson Guides from Heritage Mom

* Kids Learning Tube

Do you have any questions for Amber?

What is your favorite hymn?

Do you have a personal story about “Amazing Grace”?

-If your kids/teens have a book they would like to pitch to our community, please submit their brief reviews to [email protected]. Include their first name, last initial, and age. Thank you! (It’s absolutely fine to submit a review for a book we reviewed already in an episode- we want to hear their voices!)

GIVEAWAY DETAILS: For every 5 reviews left, we will give away a book recommended on one of our podcasts! To enter, leave a review on your podcast player of choice or in the comments here and email [email protected]!

Thank you for listening to the Stories from the Ashes podcast . If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend!