Tag Archives: coming of age

The Man from Snowy River (1982)

With a gorgeous soundtrack and breathtaking cinematography, it’s no wonder that “The Man from Snowy River” is one of the most famous movies ever to come out of Australia. Twenty-five years later, the film is still touching audiences world-wide, and I was one of them last night, for probably the third time. Jim Craig (Tom Burlinson) and his father are cutting logs when a herd of wild horses, known as the brumbies, comes dashing across their land. Bess, their stock mare, takes off with them, and the gelding holding back the logs jerks away, causing the logs to fall and … Continue reading →

Tarzan II (2005)

“Tarzan II” was released after “Tarzan and Jane,” which was the sequel to “Tarzan.” Therefore, “Tarzan II” could be called a “midquel.” Yeah, I know, I’d never heard of that word before either. But it’s the best way to describe the placement of the movie. In this film, we see Tarzan as a little boy, struggling to fit in with his surroundings. He’s concerned that he’s not as fast as the other apes, and his good friend Terk humors him by chasing him around the jungle so he can get more practice. There’s a legend floating around about a scary … Continue reading →

The Shakeress – Kimberley Heuston

It is the beginning of the 1800’s. Naomi, her older brother Ben, and her younger siblings Eli and Glory have been left orphaned by a house fire that claimed not only their parents’ lives, but that of the baby as well. They have been sent to live with Aunt Thankful, a woman who does not live up to her name but instead takes everything on herself as a burden and a curse. Rather than being grateful that the four children survived the fire, she complains about the extra work and expense of raising them, and she informs Naomi that she … Continue reading →

A Little Sisterly Advice — Jennifer Stewart Griffith

In “A Little Sisterly Advice,” Julia is going away to college at Utah State University. After living with her socialite sister Bianca for the summer, she feels ready to hit the books and hit the keys, as well – a talented piano player, she’s going to major in music. It will be hard to leave home; she’ll miss her family, but they aren’t too far away and she can go home for weekends. However, that is something she’s been warned not to do. Bianca says she’ll get more dates if she stays on campus during the weekends. Bianca has, in … Continue reading →

Celebrating Menarche

Do you remember how you celebrated your first menstrual period? Were you happy? Horrified? Shocked? A little of everything? Many years ago, talking about our periods was not something that was encouraged and many girls only found out what menstruation was after the first (often scary) blood. We know better, we are a more open society and we have many useful tools and references with which to guide our daughters to an earlier education about puberty. For many girls, menarche (our first menstrual period) is a rite of passage that they will never forget. If you answered any of the … Continue reading →