The World and Everything in It: January 17, 2024

PREROLL: The World and Everything in It is made possible by listeners like us. Hi. My name is Stefan Wentling, and I live in the bustling suburbs of Ono, Pennsylvania as a high school social studies teacher for over three decades. I have come to rely on the outstanding staff at WORLD for thorough and balanced reporting on a wide variety of topics and news. I hope you enjoy today's program.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Good morning! The Iowa caucuses are over. Does that mean game over for rivals of former President Trump?

NICK EICHER, HOST: We’ll talk about the road to the Republican Convention on Washington Wednesday. Also today, WORLD Tour. And small kindnesses that encourage grieving families after the loss of a child.

AUDIO: All those things literally felt like God loving me–it was people loving me, but it was God's people loving me.

REICHARD: It’s Wednesday, January 17th. This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Mary Reichard.

EICHER: And I’m Nick Eicher. Good morning!

REICHARD: It’s time for the news. Here’s Kent Covington.

KENT COVINGTON, NEWS ANCHOR: Houthis/Seals » National Security Council spokesman John Kirby says the U.S. military has launched another strike against the Yemen-based Houthi rebels …

KIRBY: Knocking out four ballistic missiles that we believe were pressed and ready to be launched from Yemen — took them out before they could do that. So we’ll say it again; we stand ready to defend our sailors, our ships, and that of merchant shipping as required.

The U.S. and British militaries launched joint strikes last week against Houthi targets in Yemen as the militant group continues to terrorize commercial shipping lanes on and near the Red Sea.

But that operation didn’t stop the Iran-backed Houthis from attacking. And National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington did not believe it would.

SULLIVAN: We anticipated the Houthis would continue to try to hold this critical artery at risk. And we continue to reserve the right to take further action, but this needs to be an all-hands-on-deck effort.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, he said leaders around the world must send a message that a group like the Houthis will not be allowed to hijack global trade.

The Biden administration is expected to announce plans soon to redesignate the Houthi rebels as specially designated global terrorists.

Zelenskyy » Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also been pressing his case at the summit in Davos, Switzerland urging the West to continue backing Kyiv’s cause as it battles Russian invaders.

ZELENSKYY: If anyone thinks this is only about us, this is only about Ukraine. They are fundamentally mistaken. Possible directions and even timeline of a new Russian aggression beyond Ukraine become more and more obvious.

He came out swinging against Vladimir Putin, calling him the embodiment of war adding that he will not change.

Senior U.S. leaders met with Zelenskyy in Davos and said they’re working closely with Congress to approve more aid to Ukraine.

Iran/Iraq » Iraq is recalling its ambassador to Iran after an attack on the northern city of Erbil Monday night killed at least four people.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard launched missile strikes on what it said was an Israeli spy base near the U.S. consulate in the city. But Iraq says not so.

Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani:

BARZANI: What's surprising is we are not a part of this conflict, we don't know why Iran is retaliating against civilians of Kurdistan, especially in Erbil.

Iraqi officials called Iran’s claims “baseless”

Gaza-Israel » Leaders in Qatar and France said Tuesday they have brokered a deal between Israel and Hamas to allow the delivery of medications to nearly half of the more than 100 Israeli hostages Hamas is still holding.

This marks the first agreement between Israel and the terror group since a weeklong cease-fire collapsed in November.

Tax credit and business tax break bill » On Capitol Hill, a group of bipartisan lawmakers from both chambers has proposed a deal that would boost certain tax credits and tax breaks. WORLD'S Alex Carmenaty has more.

ALEX CARMENATY: The nearly $80 billion package would bolster child tax credits and restore some tax breaks to businesses that were removed in 2017.

Some Democrats have pushed to restore part of the child tax credit from 2021 as Republicans have sought to allow businesses to streamline tax deductions for machinery and equipment.

The proposal could still face challenges. Congressional leaders were not involved in the negotiations, and it remains unclear if Congress will consider it.

For WORLD, I’m Alex Carmenaty.

Hutchinson » The Republican presidential field continues to thin out. One day after businessman Vivek Ramaswamy pulled the plug on his campaign after the Iowa caucuses, former Arkasas Gov. Asa Hutchinson also called it quits.

Hutchinson said this week that he was one of the few candidates that has taken frontrunner Donald Trump to task.

HUTCHINSON: And there might be a short-term price for that. But long term, fear, fear-mongering and grievances only take you so far.

The former governor’s campaign never really gained traction. His poll numbers never emerged from the low single digits, and he drew just a fraction of 1 percent support in Iowa Monday night.

SCOTUS bathroom Indiana » The U.S. Supreme Court says it won’t wade into a legal battle over restrooms for transgender students at Indiana public schools. WORLD’s Josh Schumacher has more.

JOSH SCHUMACHER: The high court says it’s leaving in place a lower court ruling that requires schools to allow students to use the facilities corresponding with their so-called gender identity.

The liberal activist group, the American Civil Liberties Union, had sued a central Indiana middle school in 2021 for refusing to let a female student use the boys’ restroom.

A district court judge ruled in favor of the student and an appeals court upheld the ruling.

The Supreme Court has refused to hear similar cases before.

For WORLD, I’m Josh Schumacher.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: The road to New Hampshire on Washington Wednesday. Plus, World Tour.

This is The World and Everything in It.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: It’s Wednesday the 17th of January, 2024.

Glad to have you along for today’s edition of The World and Everything in It. Good morning, I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. First up on The World and Everything in It: Washington Wednesday.

The Republican field continues to shrink after Iowa. Former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson dropped out yesterday, casting himself as a principled truth teller in a party that wants neither.

REICHARD: Vivek Ramaswamy dropped out Monday night and endorsed President Trump.

That leaves just two other Republicans other than Trump: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.

On Monday, Haley came in third place and spun that as a moral victory.

HALEY: Thank you. Iowa. We're gonna continue on. We're gonna make you proud, and we're off to New Hampshire. Thank you very much.

EICHER: Joining us now to talk about what all this means is Erick Erickson. He is an attorney, host of the Erick Erickson Show, and a WORLD Opinions contributor.

Erick, good morning to you!

ERICK ERICKSON: Hi, thanks for having me.

EICHER: Well, what stood out to you, watching the results from Iowa roll in?

ERICKSON: Well, what you said actually, the polling almost dialed it in precisely to what Donald Trump got. So there’s been a lot of complaining of Republicans that the polling is either trying to shape the race or the polling is wrong. Actually, it’s a pretty accurate snapshot, which means if you take the polling averages that Donald Trump probably is going to win New Hampshire and South Carolina and Florida and Nevada, the race is essentially over. A lot of people in media, myself included, who talk about this are trying to make it exciting so people want to tune in to what's going to happen next. What’s next is the Republican convention, that’s going to affirm what Iowa voters did and make Donald Trump the nominee.

REICHARD: But of course there’s going through the motions, and the race is whoever gets 1,2015 delegates. So Trump has 20, Desantis 9, Haley 8. Trump’s margin of victory was enormous, 30 points, and that breaks a decades-long record. Erick, what’s this say to Republicans in other states gearing up to vote?

ERICKSON: I think it just builds Trump momentum. The fact that DeSantis had a ground game---in fact, I thought DeSantis could win because his ground game was so good and polished and organized in 99 counties, 1,500 of the 1600 precincts and it completely fell apart. At the end "Never Back Down" kind of collapsed. One of the warning signs moving forward the GOP has to pay attention to is where did DeSantis do well? He didn’t win a single county, Nikki Haley even won Johnson County, but DeSantis actually did good in suburban areas of college educated evangelicals. College educated voters continue to be a problem for the GOP. Nikki Haley, the county she won, Johnson, is home to the University of Iowa. So Donald Trump is going to need to figure out how to get these people to stick with him in the general election, many of whom aren’t his fans and could stay home. So how does he maximize his gains in November from a DeSantis showing of college educated evangelicals, and Nikki Haley, a massive college educated showing the more college educated you were, the more likely you were to vote for Nikki Haley. Those people are the people most likely to vote Democrat in November.

EICHER: Let’s turn to New Hampshire, Erick. Small state but very different demographics from Iowa. Now, you’ve already said you’re certain that Trump is going to prevail. But do you think there will be a different story in New Hampshire, other than the fact that Trump probably comes out on top? Is there something different about New Hampshire where we get a bit of a different storyline than we got from Iowa?

ERICKSON: Right, the New Hampshire Republicans are different from the Iowa Republicans and so Nikki Haley could come very close. There is a poll out that shows her tied with Donald Trump. It’s not a great pollster, but the momentum is certainly in her direction. If there is a big story out of New Hampshire that’s not Trump, it’ll be Nikki Haley. It won’t be Ron DeSantis. So could she change the dynamic? Yes, but then you go to Nevada, where Nikki Haley isn’t organized, and South Carolina, where she’s the former governor, but most of the state is leaning towards Trump. So that gives her a rebound opportunity that overshadows Donald Trump. If she comes in a close second, though, it’s still second place and you do have to start winning some states. I just don’t see a path for anyone beyond Trump at this point.

REICHARD: I want to raise the question of lawfare, meaning, using the legal system to attack a political opponent. I think you can see where I’m headed, but bear with me.

Back in April, NBC did a poll that showed Trump with a 46% approval with Republicans. So Trump 46, De Santis 31. Then the indictments against Trump, both in New York and then in Florida. Just two months later, Trump spiked up, DeSantis dropped, and the chasm’s only grown.

So, lawfare? Maybe Trump did wrong, maybe he didn’t, but the timing could cause Republicans to treat their votes as a way to express their disapproval of something that appears unjust. What do you make of all this?

ERICKSON: You know, one of the things a lot of the DeSantis team says behind the scenes is that the indictments helped Donald Trump and there is a conspiracy among some non-Trump Republicans that all of the indictments were designed to ensure he’s the nominee. The indictments, I think certainly, do help Donald Trump and there is this sense that, and I don’t mean it to sound belittling, I really don’t, but I know it can come across that way. The Republicans do have a persecution complex of the media institutions are aligned against them, the cultural institutions, the academic institutions, the Fortune 500, so much of politics aligned against them. So Donald Trump gets indicted, they circle the wagons around him to make him the nominee because they view their own plight within cultural institutions through Donald Trump that’s helped him.

Now the problem is that if he is found guilty, though, the exit polling out of Iowa showed 67% of Republicans say no big deal, something like 67 to 70% of independent voters a massive deal. And that could completely shake up the race. We’re at a time, Donald Trump actually tends to overperform his polling. He’s already ahead of Joe Biden, better than he’s ever done. If he’s found guilty in one of these cases, and there is a likelihood in the case in Florida over the classified documents, that could shake up the race. Republicans will say, well, they’re out to get him. But what will independent voters do? That’s a question nobody has an answer for really.

EICHER: You know, and that led to the question that I wanted to ask you of following up on this, Erick. Is that the advice that you would give to the other two candidates in the race? Just hang around and see what happens?

ERICKSON: The DeSantis campaign—that’s not advice I would give, but it’s advice that has been given in the DeSantis campaign is whispered that he may not get out of the race. Because of the potential shakeup, I think he would be bullied as disloyal, which would hurt him if he stays in the race. At the same time, the Republicans do need a backup plan. I don’t know that they’re going to get one any more than the Democrats will with Biden, but the pile in the weight of convictions, and I actually only think there’s one substantive one, the one in Florida. But still, that’s enough that it could turn off independent voters and give an advantage to the Democrats they would not otherwise have. And Republicans, I don’t know that they’re thinking about this other than the victim card. But you can only play that so much.

REICHARD: Another thing, and this hasn’t blown up as much as it would if the Democratic National Committee allowed for a competitive field.

I’m sure you heard this one, but for the listener who hasn’t …

Last year, the Democrats changed their election calendar to start with South Carolina February 3rd. Iowa Democrats agreed to sit on results from mail-in votes until March 5th, but New Hampshire Democrats pushed back.

New Hampshire law requires it to hold the first primary in the nation, and the Democrats in the state are ignoring the DNC and moving ahead with next Tuesday, same day as the Republicans. Erick, what do you make of this conflict?

ERICKSON: Oh, you know that there’s a level of idolatry in the first-in-the-nation primary status that is going to ruin it for New Hampshire. Their voters or their delegates are going to be excluded from the Democratic National Convention, because they refuse to do what the Democrats wanted. I understand why they want first in nation status. It’s not going to help them. It’s a waste of time for Democrats to show up. It may help someone like Dean Phillips, but it doesn’t matter because his delegates won’t count at the Democratic National Convention. They should have cooperated. And frankly, if we’re really honest here, Iowa and New Hampshire have no business being first in the nation. They're some of the least representative states in the nation as far as Republican and Democratic parties go.

EICHER: I'm curious, Erick, whether you’re sitting on some big story that you’re not telling us about. I mean, you know, everything seems kind of conventional one day removed, a couple days removed from Iowa. Is there something out there that you think might break later, something that we ought to be paying attention to that we’re not paying attention to right now?

ERICKSON: As someone in a ratings-based business, I would love for there to be some surprise, some gotcha later, but there’s not. I honestly think the surprise is the collapse of the DeSantis campaign, and I don’t see how it’s recoverable. But that’s a story from Iowa. It’s not a story moving forward other than how he proceeds. Will there be a great shake-up of the race? I think the next big story is who does Trump pick as his vice presidential nominee? And we can’t get to that. There is something I think the listeners have to be aware of, though. There’s a problem. Joe Biden raised $100 million in the last quarter. The Republican National Committee has less money than they’ve had in the last 20 years in the bank account. And Donald Trump’s money is going to lawyers. Under the campaign finance rules of the nation, until he’s officially the nominee at the Republican Convention in the end of July, the Republican Party can’t help Donald Trump. So now Joe Biden’s got a massive war chest to remind independent voters they didn’t like the guy the last time and Trump has no money money to respond. That’s going to play out over the next several months.

REICHARD: Erick Erickson is an attorney, host of the Erick Erickson show, and a contributor to World Opinions. Thanks for your analysis today!

ERICKSON: Thanks for having me.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

AUDIO: [Cheering applause]

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Guatemala swearing-in — We start today in Guatemala where Bernardo Arévalo has assumed office as the new president after last-minute efforts to derail his appointment.

Arévalo has faced staunch legal opposition since winning an election in August. Guatemala's Attorney General Maria Consuelo Porras tried to strip Arévalo and his vice president of legal immunity and annul the election.

AUDIO: [Protest]

Protesters rallied outside the Congress on Sunday as the opposition-led Congress battled over the admission of lawmakers from Arévalo’s Seed Movement party.

The debate centered around whether to install the lawmakers as independents after the top court suspended Arévalo’s party. But Arévalo’s supporters saw the move as a last-ditch effort to keep him from office.

He was sworn in more than nine hours later than expected.

AREVALO: [Speaking Spanish]

In his first speech after taking office, Arévalo vowed to work with dedication, honesty, and transparency.

AUDIO: [Cheering crowd]

Taiwan election — Next to Taiwan, where alliances are already shifting after a weekend election.

Ruling party candidate Lai Ching-te won the Saturday vote. Lai is the current vice president and rejects China’s claim of sovereignty over the island of Taiwan.

But on Monday the tiny Pacific island of Nauru switched diplomatic ties from Taiwan to China. That leaves Taiwan with only 12 diplomatic allies.

FOREIGN MINISTER: [Speaking Mandarin]

Taiwan’s foreign minister says here that the switch marks another attempt by China to attack Taiwan’s democracy and freedom.

China had called the election a choice between war and peace. Lai’s nearest contender was Hou Yu-ih, who trailed behind by about 6 percentage points. Hou opposes Taiwan independence and backs a “One China” principle.

AUDIO: [Fireworks and cheers]

Denmark abdication — Meanwhile, fireworks, celebrations, and historic changes in Denmark, where crowds welcomed a new king and Queen.

More than 100,000 Danes attended the Sunday festivities as King Frederik the Tenth acceded to the throne after his mother’s abdication.

AUDIO: [Cheering crowds]

The 83-year-old Queen Margrethe the second is the first Danish monarch to voluntarily relinquish the throne in nearly 900 years.

FREDERIK: [Speaking Danish]

King Frederik says here he hopes to serve as a unifying king.

AUDIO: [Welcome ceremony]

Africa Cup of Nations — We close today in Ivory Coast, where soccer fans have gathered for a month of matches for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The games are taking place in five different cities—including at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium—on the northern outskirts of Abidjan.

AUDIO: [Singing fans]

Ivory Coast defeated Guinea-Bissau in the opening game on Saturday—continuing a streak of host countries winning opening matches since 1998.

MAN: [Speaking French]

This Ivory Coast fan says he expects the team to go much further in the competition.

But attendance fell below expectations with just over 36,000 fans in the 60,000-seat stadium for the opening ceremony.

As the group stage of the games continues, Morocco and Tanzania will face-off today as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo against Zambia.

That’s it for today’s WORLD Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Today is Wednesday, January 17th, 2024. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

This week on Concurrently: The News Coach Podcast, Kelsey Reed and Jonathan Boes are once again joined by God’s Big WORLD editor Amy Auten. They conclude their discussion on modern challenges and healthy practices. This week, they explore the practice of hospitality. Here’s a preview:

BOES: I feel like some of the most redemptive ways I have found to use digital communication is, you know, as a way of facilitating or leading to something outside of the digital. So like using Facebook to organize a book club, using a text to invite somebody into hospitality or even, I have a hard time psyching myself up to write a letter, but I think there's a lot of power in just like sending an invitational text to hospitality, because it kind of locks you in, right? Like, if I feel really inspired to be hospitable in a moment, I might feel tired later. But if I shoot a text now and invite someone over, then I'm locked into it. It doesn't matter how I feel later, accountability and accountability for yourself. Yeah, I love what you're saying. And I'm wondering, you know, if there are ways that you know, we can redemptively use those more immediate forms sometimes to push into a slower form of hospitality and connection.

REED: Such a great way to foil the algorithm. With social media, you know, definitely being designed at this point or operating at this point to try to keep your attention online, we have found the way to foil the social media algorithm. I'm just going to put my attention elsewhere or use this to divert our attention and energy back to where we really longed for it to be which is in the personal.

EICHER: You can hear the entire episode of Concurrently today wherever you get your podcasts. And find out more at concurrentlypodcast.com.

The late Mr. Rogers taught us well what his mother taught him:

FRED ROGERS: Always look for the helpers. Because if you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope.

And so it is in Ukraine, where even the animals suffer from war. Russian shelling hit a zoo and killed most of the 200 animals there. But when Ukrainian soldiers entered, they found an injured black bear that had survived.

His name is Yampil, and he’s named after the town. Yampil had to be carried out on a tarp, but a charity arranged to get him to the safety of Scotland.

He’s adapted well to his new home and that’s thanks to … ?

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Thanks to the helpers, of course.

EICHER: It’s The World and Everything in It.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming next on The World and Everything in It: What to say when a friend endures deep grief. Sometimes we may say nothing or do nothing out of fear or just not knowing what to do or what to say.

NICK EICHER, HOST: When the Telford family of Little Rock, Arkansas experienced a tragic loss, they learned how even the smallest gestures helped them cope.

WORLD associate correspondent Julie Spencer has the story.

JULIE SPENCER: Molly Telford and her four year-old daughter, Gracie are sitting at the kitchen counter. While Gracie colors, Molly points out the few reminders she has of her son, Jackson Darden Telford.

MOLLY: One of my friends gave me this that Christmas, It's a “J.”

GRACIE: Oh, lemme hold it! 

MOLLY: Okay. People don’t know what that is, but I do. Can I have it, just so we don’t break it?

The “J” is for Jackson. A thoughtful gift Molly treats with great care.

Another treasure stands on a high shelf, a white plate decorated with two tiny footprints. Molly takes it down to show Gracie.

MOLLY: Isn’t it pretty, look at those little bitty baby feet. 

GRACIE: Whoa, they’re so tiny. 

MOLLY: They are so tiny. How many toes are there? See how perfect– 

GRACIE: one, two, three, four, 

MOLLY: five…

Molly and her husband, John, have three living children–Quincy, Zoe, and Gracie. And Jackson, whose life and death taught John and Molly about how simply showing up can mean a lot to someone who's grieving.

MOLLY: I remember when we walked into the church, I thought, “I don't even know I know this many people or this many people cared about us or about Jackson's life.” It meant a lot.

Molly was at a routine OB-GYN appointment during her 35th week of pregnancy when she was told that her baby’s heart had stopped beating. The following day she and John went to the hospital for a C-section. They were able to hold Jackson for a short time then a nurse wheeled his bassinet from the room and the Telfords began the long process of grieving.

JOHN: How did it feel? I don't really have any words to explain how it felt. Kind of a very strange emptiness and loss…

Eight years have passed since Jackson’s death. As John and Molly reflect on those years they speak of their grief in similar terms:

JOHN: I just remember now going through these weird waves that would wash over you…

MOLLY: It’s kind of like waves–sometimes you don’t know if they're going to tickle your feet or if they’re going to knock you down.

The first year after Jackson died, Molly dwelled obsessively on those quiet hours in the hospital holding her son's frail body.

MOLLY: What else did I have to hold on to? I had to live the few hours we had with him, that’s all I have–so if I didn’t live that, what would I live?

With the perspective of time, however, the waves of grief have subsided. What do the Telfords have left after losing Jackson?

MOLLY: I had hope and I had the knowledge of what we see here isn’t the only thing that’s going on.

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians that because Jesus died and rose again, those who believe in Him do not grieve as those who have no hope.

MOLLY: I just kept thinking about how our church family and other friends outside of church were literally the hands and feet of Christ during that time. It was people loving me but it was God’s people loving me.

Some of Molly’s most distinct memories are simple gestures. An acquaintance at church the first Sunday back after the funeral:

MOLLY: She just put her hand on my shoulder as we passed. She was just acknowledging, “I see you, I know this has got to be hard for you to be here.”

And the sweet thoughtfulness of a child seeking her out at a school function:

MOLLY: I mean, literally, six year old little boy came up to me and he said in his little raspy voice, “I'm sorry about your baby” and my heart just stopped.

For John, his personal experience with grief taught him that what really matters is just showing up, just saying something.

JOHN: The only non-helpful thing is to not say anything, and I didn’t really understand that until I went through this. It just means more to the other person than you realize.

Molly drives Gracie to the cemetery to show her Jackson’s grave. He is buried alongside other infants. Their small headstones dot the fading green grass.

The sun is shining on Gracie's blonde head as Molly bends down to show her Jackson’s grave.

MOLLY: Hey, Gracie, look–I want to show you something. This says Jackson Darden Telford. Is Telford, is that your last name? 

GRACIE: Yeah. 

MOLLY: Yeah. So, You had a brother, kinda like Quincy. That was an older brother and he died when he was a baby. 

GRACIE: Why? 

MOLLY: I don't know why. 

GRACIE: ’Cause he got in Heaven? 

MOLLY: That’s right, he went to Heaven. So this is where his little body is buried, but his heart is in Heaven.

God’s grace and the kindness of others sustained the Telfords through their darkest days of grief and even now serve as reminders that, as Molly said, “what we see here isn't the only thing going on.”

MOLLY: Wanna head back home?

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Julie Spencer in Little Rock, Arkansas.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Wednesday, January 17th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next, stories for a snow day.

WORLD book reviewer Emily Whitten now with a book for families based on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle.

AUDIOBOOK: A new, wild feeling filled Arthur, crowding out his fear. This was not a bedtime story, or a page from Gulliver’s Travels. He could reach out and skim the clouds with his own fingers. He was flying - really flying!

EMILY WHITTEN: That’s James Meunier reading The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall. It’s Book One of a new mystery series for kids ages 8-12 written by Ali Standish. The main character is young Arthur Conan Doyle, and his life changes completely when he receives a letter of acceptance from Baskerville Hall. That’s a ­special school where gifted children can explore anything from boxing to coleopterology, or the study of beetles.

JAMES MEUNIER: [Ch 9] “At this school, innovation and creativity are rewarded. There are no clucking governesses or needling tutors to watch over your shoulders. We understand that risks must be taken in the service of knowledge. We expect you to take those risks.”

At Baskerville Hall, Arthur quickly makes friends and enemies. Sherlock Holmes fans will recognize some of the characters, like James or “Jimmie” Moriarty.

Eventually, James, Arthur, and a girl named Irene are invited to join a secret society called the Clover. While proving his loyalty to the Clover, Arthur uncovers a secret that threatens the existence of Baskerville itself.

MEUNIER: [Ch 8] Arthur was distracted by a movement he detected out of the corner of his eye. Barely visible through the trees on the edge of the grounds, someone sat astride a black horse. The rider, clad in a dark green cloak, was strangely stiff and still.

Standish’s writing here definitely entertains. Adventure-loving boys will enjoy the book’s ancient dinosaurs, knights in armor, and things that randomly explode. It’s also a great read aloud option because the whole family will appreciate the humor, like when one of the characters makes a pretend obituary for Arthur.

MEUNIER: [Ch 22] But…I’m not dead! he protested. And a lot of this stuff isn’t even true. I don’t have an Aunt Gertrude or a pet badger, and I definitely don’t feel passionately about chamber music.

Like some of the original Sherlock Holmes stories, there are allusions to the supernatural and some characters in the book talk about communicating with the dead. The author also slips into feminist ideas at times. But the story doesn’t take either theme too far. Overall, the book seems age-appropriate, even though one character does use a mild swear word.

Whether or not you're snowed in this week like my family, I hope The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish might give you a reason to grab some hot cocoa, snuggle up with your family, and enjoy a story together–one that breathes new life into the beloved world of Sherlock Holmes.

MEUNIER: [Ch 21] For so many years, he had tried not to allow himself to dream. What use was it for a boy like him? But now, he had a chance to dream as big as he liked.

I’m Emily Whitten. Bekah McCallum contributed to this review.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Tomorrow: A victory for religious liberty in Latin America, but with mixed results. We’ll talk to an attorney involved in the case of Bishop Rolando Álvarez.

Also, illegal immigration continues to overwhelm so-called sanctuary cities like New York…and tomorrow you’ll learn about one church in Manhattan that helps migrants with their asylum claims.

I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard.

The World and Everything in It comes to you from WORLD Radio. WORLD’s mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires.

The Bible records, “There were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, ‘Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!’ And stopping, Jesus called them and said, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, let our eyes be opened.’ And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.” —Matthew 20:30-34

Go now in grace and peace.

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