Keeper of the Doves By Betsy Byars

Today we discuss a small yet impactful book called Keeper of the Doves.  This book was written by Betsy Byars a prolific children’s author, winner of the Newbery Medal and National Book Award and many others. Betsy Byars passed away at the age of 91 in February of 2020, however her lifetime of work lives on. We were grateful to experience her writing in Keeper of the Doves. The novel follows Amen McBee, the youngest of 5 sisters who is a deep thinker, a poet, a lover of words and seeing beauty where others do not. Amen uses her words for good. To bring beauty and life to difficult situations. We make some connections with People Fuel and East of Eden with Amen’s older sisters possibly being contaminates. Keeper of the Doves helps us look beyond our prejudices and first impressions. There is a mysterious character called Mr. Tominski, a hermit old man who lives in the woods nearby and tends to a flock of doves. Things are not always as they seem and Amen is able to discover another side of Mr. Tominski. Through a series of events there is a tragic death in the family that was caused by words. Words are so powerful and in our modern society we often forget this. An overarching theme of this book is that words can hold the power of life and death. Amen brings life with her poetic words while others bring death. Be sure to let us know if you have read this novel or if you have books you would like to recommend.  You can join our Facebook Group, Recap Book Chat or leave us a voice memo. My favorite way to read is curled up with a soft blanket and a hot cozy drink in my hand. Currently my go to beverage is decaf coffee with Earth Echo's Cacao Bliss blended in. Ten powerful, organic superfoods that help with relaxation, joint pain, weight goals, and mental focus. Use my coupon code KATEM10 to get 10% off your order when you try their products. Note that some of the links above are affiliate links to books and brands we love and ones we think you will too! Keep those pages turning and those book lights burning!