1992 - Shiloh

Dates read: March 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 128 pp.
Rating: ●●●●○

I'd have to say that this book surprised me. I am not a "boy and his dog" book-lover. I've never had a dog and although they are cute and I am glad that Abby is not afraid of them, I am not terribly sentimental towards them. Having said that, this was a good book. Marty comes across an injured beagle that he falls in love with. Unfortunately, the dog is not his (duh) and he knows who it belongs to--the mean poacher in town. So how do you do the right thing (give the dog back to its owner) when the wrong thing (the owner's been kicking it) has been happening (and will likely continue to happen). As the ethical questions arose, lingered and changed throughout the book, I found myself putting myself in the child's position and more often in the parents' position. (I'm a mom now. How am I going to help/teach my kids to deal with these issues? They're going to need to internalize the principles so that when situations arise they can apply them judiciously.) These were pretty tough questions and I don't know if I would have handled it all the same as Marty and his family handled it or not. (OK--so I wouldn't have because we'll never have a dog, but back to the book:) I really don't know. I found myself fighting some decisions throughout the book, but can the end justify the means at times? I am really pretty black and white when it comes to lying and such, but then I find myself conveniently altering or omitting facts when I need to. Don't we all? It was good.

I am grateful for happy endings--did they do what was right? Anyways, I came across this on Amazon and had to chuckle. Is this really what we want for our kids?

Book's weak point: The author sacrificed potential emotional depth for the smiles and hugs of a happy ending. I think a much more realistic ending would have been the father disregarding the feelings of his sensitive son and sending the dog back to the abusive owner, the mother not lifting a finger to protect her son's feelings, and the owner killing the dog as he promised all along. Basically, I think the author didn't have the guts to do it, and thus be able to transmit a real message to the audience about how the world is - essentially how cruel and uncaring parents really can be. The boy becoming aware of such things would have hurt (him and us), but would at least have been REAL and given us the base of potential from which to GROW and not just keep our heads in the sand, leading us further down the path of denial...and ultimately toward perpetuating the same patterns those parents did. Only emotional honesty (as opposed to the fantasy ending of this book) will break such cycles.

I don't know about you, but I think I'd rather that kids learn (at least occasionally) that families can be happy, parents can be loving and life's situations can turn out positively in our favor. Just a thought!

1993 - Missing May

Dates read: March 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 112 pp. (with illustrations)
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Missing May is the story of young Summer who was taken in by relatives after the death of her parents and subsequent shuffling around by other (uncommitted) relatives. When Aunt May dies, Summer is convinced that her life that had finally become secure and happy was returning to her former life of emptiness and not belonging. Although she still has her Uncle Ob, his grief is so consuming that they cannot continue in their once happy relationship until they both come to grips with their loss.

This short book was a good study of grief, but to be honest, I am kind of sick of so many children's books dealing with such sadness and grief. Now I know that "that is just the world we live in". Kids have it rough these days. (You don't need to remind me of that--I am well aware.) When I was on my mission, I had a great companion that had really experienced some refiner's fires in her life. One day after hearing her experiences (with her amazing attitude), I commented that it really wasn't fair that I had lived a life of such relative ease. She reminded me that our investigators needed my story as well--they needed to see that the goal is to have kids raised in the church in happy and gospel-centered lives. Now, my life has not been perfect and I have had trials, but I think that I am just in the mood for a book that reminds kids that not all parents and siblings die tragic and untimely deaths, that home and family life can be filled with love and enjoyment. And I don't think that these books need to be completely glossy and ignore the bumps of life.

The book wasn't that bad though. I thought that Cletus, Summer's friend (term used loosely at the beginning) from school was fabulous. He was quirky and a real lifesaver for both Summer and Ob.

1931 - The Cat Who Went to Heaven

Dates read: March 2008
Read or listened to: Read
Pages: 96 pp. (with illustrations)
Rating: ●●●○○

Being that this book was written in 1930, I didn't know what to expect. I didn't find that the story was terribly engaging, but it was short and a very easy read, so I also didn't find it difficult to finish. (I read it in two sittings.) The story is of a artist who has not sold a painting in a long time and struggles to find money even to eat. His housekeeper brings home a cat that she purchased with the limited food budget. As can be expected the artist is very upset with her purchase. Fortunately, however, the cat (an animal considered evil in the Buddhist faith) brings good luck and a very important commission. Looking back on the story, I see that the book really did have some interesting themes in it. There is the idea of repentance (or perhaps better said would be the idea of the 2nd Article of Faith). This cat, although of the "wicked" species showed a desire to pay respect to Buddha as the artist was painting a mural for a temple. The artist, moved by the cat's apparent devotion to the Buddha, paints the cat into the paniting--knowing that the commissioners may not accept a painting tarnished with the image of a cat. I did enjoy reading the artist's reflections on the life of Buddha. I am not at all familiar with Buddhist tradition and history. I suppose that the story is much deeper than I had given it credit.

1972 - Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh

Dates read: February/March 2008
Read or listened to: Listened to
Pages: 240 pp.
Rating: ●●●●●


Mrs. Frisby is a mother who gains courage to do the impossible in order to save her sick child. She is willing to take dangerous journeys out of desperation to the owl, across the farmyard (passing the cat) and eventually to an unlikely friendship with a colony of rats. I continue to be amazed--now that I am a mother--at what I am willing to do for the benefit of my baby. Oftentimes it is mundane, but we just do it because they need us and rely on us. I couldn't help but love Mrs. Frisby for the mother that she was.

The Rats of NIMH were former lab rats that had learned to read, reason and live in a rather civilized manner. At one stage of their escape from NIMH, the leader, Nicodemus, comments that they'd never be able to return to their former life as rats living in the dump. They were new creatures because of the knowledge they had gained. I couldn't help but think of people as we are growing and maturing throughout our lives (especially within the gospel) that we really do become new people. As the Bible says, we are born again. And we could never return to the lives that we had left behind--all because we know that there is such a "better world" (Ether 12:4).

My last thought (and I wish I had good quotes for all of these, but listening to the CDs and then trying to go back and find certain quotes in the book--doesn't work too well): At one point in their "training", Nicodemus realizes that rats are typically hated because they steal from others. Rats scavenge (steal) food and the Rats of NIMH have set up a colony and even in their "enlightened state" they are stealing electricity, food, seeds and running water from the nearby farm house. Nicodemus and the others establish a plan to live self-sufficiently. I love the idea of people (or rats, I suppose) doing all in their power to support themselves and their families. It takes a lot of effort and perhaps there are easy ways to let someone else take care of you, but the self-respect and the skills that come from self sufficiency are irreplaceable.

I am sure that the idea of this book seems a bit silly, but I was amazed at what I took away from it!

Pre-March 2008 books - 14 of them

2007: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron, illus. by Matt Phelan

Dates read: January 2008

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A few comments: Excellent story of belonging and discovering her place. Found the reference to dog’s anatomy unneeded?

2006: Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

Dates read: January/February 2008
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A few comments: Enjoyable.

2004: The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo
Dates read: Fall 2007

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A few comments: Loved it and mouse’s determination and compassion (but then I tend to enjoy rodent stories?!?)

2003: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi
Dates read: um…post 2003?

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A few comments: Loved it! I am usually a fan of historical fiction and this was excellent!

2002: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
Dates read: Early 2006

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A few comments: Loved it as well!

1999: Holes by Louis Sachar

Dates read: Spring 2000

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A few comments: I read this for an advanced children’s lit class. I enjoyed it, but I think there was too much hype surrounding it for me to love it.

1997: The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
Dates read: Late 2007

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A few comments: Loved it—she does an excellent job writing from the perspectives of various students and teacher.

1995: Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Dates read: Summer 2007

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A few comments: Loved it! What an incredible story of overcoming grief and discovering oneself!

1994: The Giver by Lois Lowry
Dates read: um…? a few times

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A few comments: How can we not love The Giver? I know there are some that don’t, but I find it terribly insightful and a fabulous reminder that although agency is such a blessing (although on occasion, I assume it feels like a burden).

1991: Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Dates read: Early 1993

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A few comments: A fun story, but at the time didn’t completely grab my attention—a runner with a unique ability to untie knots!

1990: Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
Dates read: Early 1993

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A few comments: Loved it! I (almost) always love historical fiction set in WWII Europe.

1979: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Dates read: January 2008

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A few comments: This one was surprisingly enjoyable. It took me a while to get into, but once I did I really enjoyed it—so many personalities learning to live and work together.

1969: The High King by Lloyd Alexander
Dates read: December 2007/January 2008

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A few comments: I read/listened to all 5 of the Prydain books (finally) during late 2007. I really enjoyed them (although for me they didn’t have the capturing ability of Harry Potter). I am very glad I did it though—always wanted to but never got around to it.

1968: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
Dates read: Early 2003 plus a couple other times

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A few comments: This is a bit of a silly book, but I find it absolutely delightful! It is one that I can pick up to read for light-hearted fun!