The Family Hitchcock

Author:  Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett

Rating:  0 stars out of 3 possible, "D"/"F"
            Not Recommended

Audience:  5th Grade and Up

Here's another book I would really like to recommend.  Smart, contemporary plot, nice family, some challenging vocabulary.  But then I have to ask myself if it's right to compromise on my convictions just because part of the book is well-done.

Written by a Hollywood husband and wife team, the book reads like a fast-paced kid's techie movie (think Spy Kids).  In fact, it would translate well to film, and I'm sure that's exactly what the authors hoped.  The problem is, it's also exactly what Hollywood would like for your kids:
 superficial middle school boy-girl drama, too much slang ("God,""butt," "hell," "ass," "pissed," to be precise), and too much backtalk from a mouthy 7th grader.

The Hitchcock family finds themselves embroiled in international espionage when they swap houses for vacation with a family from Paris.  9 year-old Benjamin and 13 year-old Madeline love their parents, but wonder if Dad's bad vacation luck will ever be broken.  And what's up with Mom?  Is she really considering divorcing Dad?

The need for give-and-take during adolescence, a common theme in media, is a strong message in the book.  Family emotions are handled with realism and passion in this story.  Also on the plus side, the Hitchcock family reaffirms their commitment, learning a lot about bravery, love, and teamwork along the way.  In fact, if someone could produce the movie without the language, I think I'd be right on board.

My 11 year-old daughter was quite taken with this book and encouraged me to read it.  I'm glad I did.  I have an honest daughter who seems unaffected by the language, or the boy-crazy 7th grader, but how would I know how to talk with her about it if I didn't read it at some point?  My theory is she wanted me to read it because she felt a little guilty about what she'd encountered and wanted to see if I was okay with it, retroactively.  She reads faster than I can review and recommend, so my hope is that our family values have already taken root, and her heart attitude is sensitive to right and wrong, wherever she may find it.