If my friend and fellow writer Anna Rose Johnson says I'll like a book… I probably will. (I think she's my mysterious reader twin.) So when she recommended the author Millie Florence, of course her new book magically floated to the top of my TBR pile. I hope you'll put it at the top of yours as well! 

In a few words, The Balter of Ashton Harper is: delightful. Old-fashioned. Humorous. Poignant. Most surprisingly, though, for a book that is so light-hearted and funny throughout, it ends with a serious kick of absolute, profound, life-changing meaning. As it happens, I read Balter during one of those weeks where a few of the artists in my home (myself included) were feeling a little uncertain, and a lot discouraged, about the art we're trying to make. Maybe that's the reason I cried while I read the last three chapters. Or maybe it was just that good.

Here's the publisher's description: 

Ashton Harper has three problems and two of them are his sisters. First Drusilla, the oldest, who has decided that all she cares about is muslin and courtship. Second Zizi, the youngest, a stubborn optimist who is constantly pushing her brother outside his comfort zone, whether it’s in their dancing lessons or his disbelief in magic.
And third, their invitation to audition for a ballroom dancing scholarship at the prestigious Overmorrow Academy of Arts, which could be either a dream come true or a hope-crushing failure. As a proud, sarcastic realist, Ashton is betting on the latter.
The Harper siblings set out for Overmorrow, but their opportunity evaporates when mysterious magical ruins wreak havoc on the travelers. Ashton is separated from his sisters, trying to make sense of a power that he thought existed only in fairytales. Soon much more is at stake than attending the school of his dreams.
A story of family and ambition, The Balter of Ashton Harper is woven with whimsy, hope, and Millie Florence’s signature light-hearted depth.

Honestly, I have so much to learn about life and about the craft of writing from this lovely book. I am excited to read it again very soon when I read it aloud to my kids—with so many of them hoping to pursue art as a vocation, The Balter of Ashton Harper is going right onto our homeschool required reading list.

For more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations, check out Always in the Middle!

Hello, friends! Please welcome Carolyn Leiloglou, author of Beneath the Swirling Sky, Book One of The Restorationists series. Besides being a fellow author and art-lover, Carolyn is a homeschooling mom; I discovered throughout this interview that we have a lot in common! As I write my interview questions and read responses, I like to imagine that the author and I are enjoying a cup of tea together at my kitchen table… In this case, it's probably a good thing it was actually over email, because I can guarantee my Restorationist-fan children would be keeping Carolyn busy with lots of questions of their own!

FEH: Welcome, Carolyn, and thank you for agreeing to this interview! Beneath the Swirling Sky was one of my family's favorite reads of 2023 (I reviewed it here). I also want to start out by sharing that Beneath the Swirling Sky is one of my ten-year-old daughter's very favorite books. She is dyslexic, so the act of decoding words is still a challenge for her, but she wanted a hard copy of your book after we listened to the audio version together, so she could go back and re-read her favorite parts whenever she wanted. It's been such a special experience for us to share.
We are SO picky about art-themed books in my house, because my husband is a professional artist. So often, artists in literature are surrounded by a strange sort of mystique, overlooking the hard work and practice they put into their works. Your story portrayed art and artists in a way that even this very choosy family could get behind. :)
Which leads to my first question: 
Are you a visual artist yourself?

CL: Before I answer, let me just say how encouraging it is for me to hear that your daughter with dyslexia wanted a physical copy of the book! I’ve had a few families with dyslexic kids tell me their kids read and love Beneath the Swirling Sky, and it means a lot to me because two of my own children have dyslexia. I think books with adventure and character depth help pull them in (and I’m sure the illustrations help too in this case)!
To answer your question, no, I’m not a visual artist myself. However, I grew up around a lot of art and familiar with artists and artistic concepts. My mom was an art major and taught high school art for several years, and my grandparents were art collectors. In fact, Uncle Leo’s house in Beneath the Swirling Sky is loosely based on theirs!

FEH: Of course you cover this thoroughly and poignantly in your story, but what are some of the ways you believe art can influence the world and each individual? Do visual arts have a unique role in that?

CL: One of the ways art can influence us is to bring to light beauty. It can also help you see things in a new way. Visual art specifically forces you to slow down to truly experience it, which feels like a rare gift in our hurry-to-the-next-thing culture. 

FEH: (Yes! I love that and totally agree. The ability art has to help us slow down is often overlooked.)
The villains in your story damage art and attempt to pollute it with their evil ideas... but you also mention real-life damage to artwork. What would you say regarding those who risk the destruction of (or actually destroy) masterpieces to magnify their own voices?

CL: I wonder if you’re referring to the protesters who have repeatedly assaulted various paintings over the last few years and now have apparently actually damaged one. I certainly don’t think the way for anyone to get a point across would be to harm irreplaceable paintings by some of our world’s greatest artists. It’s misguided, to say the least. But perhaps it had helped some people realize how precious these objects are. Their stunts have sent more people than ever to museums by reminding us of the frailty of art and our inability to truly protect it while also sharing it with the world.

FEH: (That's a very encouraging way of looking at it! Anything that helps us to consider the value of artwork isn't a total loss.)
From visual arts to word arts... Can you share a little about why you love writing and how you started writing?

CL: I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I was making up poems long before I could spell, and I started writing my first novel in the fourth grade. However, somewhere around middle school, much like my main character Vincent, I lost confidence in my art. Tragically, I stopped writing stories until I had kids of my own (though I never totally gave up on poetry). It makes me sad to think about how many years I wasted not writing because I thought I wasn’t good enough. But you can never actually get “good enough” without doing the work. I hope my story inspires kids not to give up on whatever art form they love.

FEH: Here is a question from my daughter, Maddie: if you could choose any of the artists you talk about in your book to illustrate it for you, who would it be?

CL: Well, it’s hard to beat the amazing art that Vivienne To created! Her illustrations, especially the cover, really blew me away, and I feel so blessed that she chose to take on this project. But if Vincent van Gogh wanted to illustrate my book, who am I to say no?

FEH: (We loved Vivienne's illustrations, too! They were the best part of getting a physical copy of the book after having enjoyed it on audio.)
If you could host a dinner with one artist and one writer (dead or alive!) who would you choose?

CL: This feels like a sneaky way to ask who my favorites are… I think I’d have to pick Vincent van Gogh for the artist because I love so many of his paintings and he had so much to say about art and life in his letters to his brother Theo. (Though I just came across a treasure trove of quotes from Henry Ossawa Tanner while researching book three, so he’s my close second). And how can I not pick C.S. Lewis as the author? I think I’d just sit back and soak in the conversation the two of them would have and just keep refilling their tea cups.

FEH: Finally, what is some of the best writing advice you ever received?

CL: It’s not the most talented writers who necessarily succeed. Its the most persistent. If you want to be a writer, keep at it!

FEH: Thank you so much for joining us, Carolyn, and thank you for writing your beautiful story. We are so looking forward to Book 2!!

​CL: Thank you for having me! Book 2, Between Flowers and Bones, is up for preorder now!

I've been chatting about kids and art over on Instagram (you can find my posts saved in my story highlights under "Museums+kids," if you're interested), so I decided it would be a good time to resurrect this old blog post from back in 2015. Enjoy!

Life's an art, wouldn't you agree?
​
I love the idea of being a living work of art, while participating in the ongoing Creation by creating art of my own. And one of my favorite things about being part of this massive, timeless, glorious artwork is enjoying the work that other creators have put into it. As a mother, this has extended to sharing this joy with my children...

...but I think any of you who have ever actually tried to take a child to an art museum will know that this can be a challenge. As I've tackled it many times, with a general level of success, allow me to share some tips from my experience.
​

TIPS FOR THE UNDER-TWO CROWD

​1. Take babies to the museum. Trust me. It may seem like a daunting task, but this is actually the easy part. And if they become comfortable and familiar with museums now, they're more likely to continue to enjoy the experience as they get older.

2. Feed your hungry baby. If you meet your babies' needs, you set the tone for a happy experience. Even though I've been afraid of complaints, I've never had so much as a raised eyebrow when I found a quiet room of the museum in which to nurse my baby. But in case you're worried about any anti-nursing nastiness, you can steal my strategy and choose a quiet bench right under a medieval painting of a nursing Madonna or a Renaissance nude of a Grecian goddess. Go ahead, naysayers: try and complain. 

3. Wear your little babies. If you don't absolutely need to bring a stroller into a museum, don't. (That time will come soon enough when you have a runaway toddler AND a baby.) You'll be cursing the unwieldiness and frustration of finding elevators in no time. Just make sure you have a sling or a front carrier, as most museums don't allow back carriers.

4. Let your toddlers toddle. You'd be surprised how engaging those long galleries are to little legs and minds. Just hold hands or stay close, because a museum chase is not something you want to add to your life experiences.

5. Look at the (painted) babies. Babies like nothing so much as other babies. Which is convenient, because most art museums are full of images of babies. 9 out of 10 times, as soon as I take a just-fidgety baby over to a painting of the Infant Jesus, she's all smiles and cooing.

TIPS FOR THE TWO TO FIVE CROWD

1. Have reasonable expectations. You know what kids' attention spans are like. Don't expect a full-length museum trip with a three-year-old, because you are likely to be disappointed. Depending on my child, I like to frequent free or low-cost museums at this point (most libraries have tons of passes, which is an excellent option), so that you don't feel cheated when you only end up staying half an hour. I figure anything past that 30 minute mark is a bonus.

2. Make even limited museum time always fun. It's important to keep the museum experience a happy one so children never associate it with being bored or tired. With some guidance, and a firm set of rules, let your child wander from painting to painting that holds his or her interest. Ask lots of questions about the stories behind the paintings. Ask them to point out the colors they know. See if they can play detective and find paintings that look similar. Make it a game.

3. Speaking of games...really, make a game. My very best museum trick is this: make a treasure hunt list for your child. I draw simple pictures for my pre-readers, and create a list of items they'll be sure to encounter in the museum. This generally keeps them engaged for well over an hour. Here are some sure-fire choices for pretty much any museum with traditional artwork, but you can adapt to your needs:
-a peach
-a bird
-a white flower
-a pink flower
-a blue dress
-a baby
-a dog
-a fancy hat
-a golden necklace
-an apple
-a red dress
-a saint
-a tree
-clouds
-the sea
-a boat
a mountain
-a vase of flowers
-a bowl
-a cup
-a window
-a castle, or fancy house
-a horse
-a fish
-a crown

 Also fun is printing out small images of actual paintings for them to find--just make sure you check in advance to make sure all the artwork is currently on view.

TIPS FOR FIVE- TO TEN-YEAR-OLDS

1. Do some advance research.
A. Study one or two artists whose work you know you will find in the museum. There's something so exciting about walking into a room and recognizing the work of a great artist. When you're studying, talk about the stories you see in the paintings as well as limited technical elements like which colors you see, the level of detail with which the artist paints (impressionistic versus realistic, for example), and general thematic elements in the paintings. There are super, super, super picture books about many artists that are an excellent place to begin.
B. Read the stories behind some of the paintings you will see. Greek myths, bible stories, and Shakespearean plays have been beautifully represented in thousands of paintings over the centuries. Before visiting a museum, we like to brush up on these classics with some good "kid editions." Kids at this age will be thrilled to see a story they know "illustrated" on canvas--the story is more important to them than who painted it or what style it represents. Knowing the stories and recognizing the characters will help them realize that art is for them, too, not just for grown-ups. Some of our favorite books for this purpose are:
Classic Myths to Read Aloud, by William F. Russell
New Catholic Picture Bible (or any picture Bible… We've found each has its pluses and minuses and are still looking for a truly great one…)
Tales from Shakespeare, by Charles and Mary Lamb

​2. Allow them to help plan the visit. I want my children at this age to feel they "own" the experience of visiting a museum and aren't just being dragged around. I prevent that latter tragedy by allowing them to help me plan the trip and decide which parts of the museum (in a large museum such as the Met, at least) they want to see. They look at maps with me, help me develop itineraries, and even problem solve what they'll do when their little siblings get antsy.

3. Plan a longer visit, but schedule in breaks. My big little kids really want to spend a whole day at the museum, but (especially if we're visiting with younger siblings), they can't take it all in one stretch. It's easiest in the summer when you can hop outside--have you ever noticed that most museums have beautiful gardens and outdoor areas where little ones can run around or have a picnic?--but even in the winter you can run to the parking lot and have a snack in the car.

4. Bring a sketch book and pencil. Allow your children to actively participate in their study of and appreciation for art by inviting them to copy one of their favorite paintings. Make sure to remind them that you're not hoping for perfection--but that greatness depends on practice and lots of hard work. In our experience, it's best to start with something simple like a fruit or flower still life, as it will generally be easier to come up with a sketch that satisfies rather than disheartens. Even though this activity demands more patience and stillness and work from our kids than any other part of the day, it's absolutely their favorite.