Skip to main content

Well written, but...

This morning I wrote a review for a book on Amazon titled Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur.  


I wanted to read this book because of the review another reviewer wrote on Amazon. It sounded like a book my children would enjoy when they are in middle school. 

When I began reading this book, it brought back all of my painful memories from junior high. It tore me up to hear how the main character, Elise, talked to her childhood best friend and how she saw life. I was a middle school teacher. I know that a lot of kids see life this way (she says her life sucks at the beginning of the book and goes on about it), but it's not what I want my kids to hear and have reinforced in their heads. Elise's life at home actually doesn't suck. She has some issues at school that are the catalyst for her growth in this book. These issues at school make her life miserable and affect how she treats and sees the people around her. 

Let me be up front...I am a Christian. So, I believe that we can rely on God and trust Him. The world would have us believe that the only person we can trust is ourselves and most of the time our family and close friends. The eight keys of this book are about teaching the main character how to grow up, basically--the "keys". But, these keys all point to one truth that the author puts forth--that the answers to life were all inside of her. 

The story is a good one and I like the development of the main character. The end was redeeming and she grows--as all middle schoolers do--to see how to treat people and how not to. By the end, I liked the main character and was glad to see her grow. But, because of the moral theme to the story and how it completely goes against what I believe, I won't recommend this book. There is one exception I would make to this statement, though. If a Christian parent is looking for a book that clearly states what the world values and the messages it tells kids, this would be a great book to start such a discussion and then discuss it in light of the Gospel.


Reading this book made me think a lot about why I would or wouldn't recommend this book.  Most parents probably wouldn't take issue with anything in this book.  But, you know me, I think deeply about the messages books send to readers.  Sometimes perhaps, I think a bit too deeply!  


Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book from Wendy Lamb Books.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...
Post a Comment
Read more

listening or rather not listening to directions...

This week has been very eye opening. I am observing and noticing what I need to learn in order to be a better homeschooling mom and teacher and what my daughter needs to learn to be a good homeschooling student. My weakness when I was a teacher in a first grade classroom was not understanding how small concepts had to be broken down--and I lost my patience very quickly. This week, in particular today, I am seeing how detailed my directions need to be. I am going to be working very consciously and deliberately on this. On the other hand, I realized that my daughter does not listen! Wowsers! In a classroom, Autumn listens very well. She is a compliant child and very influenced by peer pressure and conformity. So, she listens along with everyone else and follows directions. But, at home, it's just Autumn and maybe Sami and Mommy. Very, very different! I had forgotten that most of kindergarten in the public schools is not focused on teaching students academic and learning co...
1 comment
Read more

Writing A Homeschool Teacher Resume

I'm helping a friend who's switching jobs write a resume.  She hasn't written one in years, so this is something new.  I began working on her resume, but then stopped to write my own because I thought it might be helpful.   Being a homeschool teacher may not seem to many like an occupation or career, but it is.  I used the combined form of resume for myself.  I began with the basic information, then moved on to strengths (the combined skills/experience part), education, Occupational Experience, then Related Experience, Certifications, Computer Skills, and mentioned at the end... References Available Upon Request.   Sometimes homeschooling parents have to reenter the workplace because of family changes and needs.  How could you express what you've been doing in a way that's acceptable for a resume? Well, here's my take on it... Teacher, Homeschool                  ...
1 comment
Read more