The Name of this Book Is Secret (5 Books)

Titles: The Name of this Book Is Secret; If You're Reading this, It's too Late; This Book Is not Good for You; This Isn't what It Looks Like; You Have to Stop This

Author: Pseudonymous Bosch (Raphael Simon)

Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")

Recommended with Reservations

Audience: Middle-schoolers

Better than Lemony Snicket, a good alternative in fact, this series offers middle readers the mystery, adventure and word puzzles they crave. The vocabulary is challenging and the humor is generally appropriate. The plots are somewhat unbelievable, but not as dark and violent as Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events.

11 year old "survivalist" Cassandra and her humorously neurotic friend Max-Ernest must decode clues and thwart the evil plans of Ms. Mauvais and Dr. L. as they search for an ancient Egyptian secret to eternal life.

The villains are sinister and at one point prepared to perform an Egyptian mummification ritual on a schoolmate when Cass and Max-Ernest arrive on the scene. Families might also object to Max-Ernest's selfish, divorcing parents, but Cass has real family support and legitimate adult help, unlike the Lemony Snicket series.

Parents may take issue with slang words ("butt," "puke," "suck," "freakin'") in the second book, but I would counter that they are rare (about once each) and occur in reasonable context (for the most part as description and not personal insults).

Even as I re-read that paragraph I realize it must sound contrary to some of our stated goals. Let me clarify that one character in particular (Yo Yoji) brings this flavor to the friendships and I find it valuable that he is welcomed and included. His rougher language has little or no influence on the other characters. And, as always, context must be considered before judgments are passed.

Other objectionable content includes "white" lies by the main characters (about once per book, in order for Cass to follow mystery leads) and the references to Egyptian practices and alchemy. To be fair, such scenes occur infrequently and the protagonists are not caught up in any occult practices themselves, only opposing the antagonists. The protagonists also form positive friendships and exemplify teamwork.

In short, while not perfect, the series is acceptable for many middle readers. If you really want to bond with your child over these books (always a good way to strengthen a relationship), be sure to make Cass's Super Chip Snack Mix with them!

Green Knowe Series

Titles: The Children of Green Knowe; Treasure of Green Knowe; The River at Green Knowe; A Stranger at Green Knowe; An Enemy at Green Knowe; The Stones of Green Knowe

Author: L.M. Boston

Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")

Recommended with Reservations

Audience: 3rd-8th grades

I found it very difficult to categorize this series. L.M. Boston, writing in England in the 1950's, said she wrote these short children's novels to please herself. In a typical, British sort of way, they are imaginative, yet slow-paced; well-written and respectful of tradition, yet somewhat abstruse or difficult to access.

The Children of Green Knowe introduces us to the formerly grand, country river estate and it's visiting young heir, 9 year old Tolly (Toseland). Odd occurrences imply that Tolly is being visited by the ghosts of past generations of children raised at Green Knowe. Only in Great Britain could a family trace their estate legends back to the 1500s!

My concern as a Christian is that ghosts-even friendly, familial ghosts-existing for centuries in a home is theologically misleading and not all that comforting to many children.

I'm glad I held out for the second book, The Treasure of Green Knowe, before making my final judgment. Here the story presents as a time-travel fantasy and Tolly meets up with his 18th century ancestors.

The story is cleverly woven between present and past as Great Grandmother relates family history. The historical family employs a freed black boy to serve as companion to their own blind daughter and readers will find the examples of freedom vs. slavery, prejudice vs. justice convicting. In the end, Tolly solves a centuries-old treasure mystery and the future of the Green Know Estate is secured.

Finally I read The River at Green Knowe, just to solidify my opinions. Here the story changes up, with 3 school kids spending summer vacation at Green Knowe, barely supervised by 2 distracted but well-meaning spinsters.

Again, the line is blurred between actual magic and imagination. The children enjoy their adventures, encountering a hermit and a giant and at one time observing some sort of Celtic worship ritual during the full moon. The overall message here is that adults tend to lose their imagination and childhood should include plenty of time for play and exploration. I can't argue against those points. At their age, I had the run of the forest and the lakeshore and needed only minimal supervision. I wish more kids could be raised with these sorts of idyllic freedoms. Many of our suburb and city kids will only encounter such adventures between the pages of books like these!

In conclusion, I recommend this series with mild reservations about a few scenes or occasional references to supernatural phenomenon, certainly nothing alarming. More to the point, the writing style and expressive tone makes the stories a little hard to follow for some minds. The series may be best received by especially inquisitive, creative children, for instance; an "old soul" who claims to have "nothing to read!" I doubt (unfortunately) many "modern" kids have the patience for the setting and plot. If you'd like to know more about the real manor that inspired Green Knowe, check out this website: www.greenknowe.co.uk

There are other series that may appeal to a broader audience for families seeking intelligent, imaginative plots. If you love the challenge and the rich language/heritage of British literature, also try prolific children's authors Edith Nesbit writing at the turn of the 20th century (The Railway Children, The House of Arden, Five Children and It) or Enid Blyton writing in the mid-20th century (The Famous Five, The Secret Seven). All feature superior vocabulary and syntax, confident and capable children, mystery and adventure.

If these clever British ladies L.M. Boston, E. Nesbit and E. Blyton can remain in print, our 9 year olds should have plenty to read until they're ready for Dame Agatha Christie!

The Omnivore's Dilemma

Author: Michael Pollan

Rating: ** (2 stars out of 3 possible, "B")

recommended

Audience: Adults, Young Adults

Well, I finally had to do it. I had to find out (5 years late) what all the buzz was about organic, sustainable, blah, blah, blah.

Actually, I read Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser) some years ago and found it both convicting and a little alarmist. I also watched the features King Corn and SuperSize Me. So I am aware of some of the arguments against America's eating habits. I also work in health care, so I know the obesity and diabetes statistics.

What I appreciated about Michael Pollan's books (see also Food Rules for a Cliff's Notes version of Omnivore) is his thoroughness and practicality. He admits his own gradual journey toward healthier eating and doesn't judge people for coming to different conclusions. He doesn't expect people to become radical vegans, for instance, but encourages us to begin to educate ourselves about our food habits. He offers simple steps and options for people who want to make more informed eating choices.

The Omnivore's Dilemma divides food production into 4 groups: regular industrial farm production; organic industrial farming; local, sustainable farming; and self-production. Each of these options is explored in historic and current context and the reader can come to their own conclusion about how to implement each of these food production types into their family diet.

Most of us would agree "factory food" (as i like to call it) is our least desirable option. It's not going to go away any time soon, and probably has its place in some of our grocery shopping. A book like Omnivore's Dilemma will help you choose how much of your diet to devote to factory foods.

Pollan also tells the truth about "organic" foods. Many of these terms are defined by committees and government (lobbyists) so Pollan explains the gray areas. Terms like "free range" and "sustainably harvested" actually have no formal restriction or regulation, so companies may use them truthfully...or not! So Pollan tells the truth about both the factory option and the organic option. In all situations, caveat emptor!

Pollan is a big proponent of local, sustainable foods. This means getting to know your local producers and supporting them. "Sustainable" implies the local producer will put at least as much into the soil as they take out because they have a vested interest in maintaining their land. Conversely, corporate farming relies heavily on added fertilizers and pesticides to reap as much out of the soil as possible. For an interesting example of how local, sustainable farming (how farming was done pre-1920s, approximately) can work, take a look at www.polyfacefarms.com.

The final option is to try your hand at becoming your own hunter/gatherer! Families can decide how much of this to implement in their food choices. Most of us could plant a few rows in a garden (if you live in the suburbs, take a look at the size of your lot!), and some of us could even go fishing, or shoot a deer. Pollan validates these lifestyle choices.

It comes down to how convicted you are about food production policies in America and what you're willing to do about it for your family. Let me give you sort of a blunt, personal example: I am not a hippie living on a commune (and it's okay if you are) and I have serious concerns about the hygiene of some of our foods in the grocery store. For me, it's a little bit about the humane treatment of animals and it's a lot about the hygiene. Feedlots just aren't good for animals, or humans.

How will that change my behavior? Pollan suggests 3 guidelines in Food Rules: Eat Real Food; Mostly Plants; Not Too Much. Sounds manageable, doesn't it? In practice, I'm going to think a lot more about the 5-ingredient rule (eat foods with about 5 ingredients-foods your grandmother could recognize). We've already increased our fruits and vegetables. Next I'm going to order my own side of beef cut to specifics. Then I'm going to think about eggs and chickens. We're even considering joining a CSA: community sponsored agriculture group. For about $100 Rocky Ridge Ranch will provide families with 4-5 meats, eggs and produce each week. Not everyone can do that, but we might. (www.rockyridgeranchspokane.com)

If this interests you, there are plenty of options to begin your education process. (Two other books I am curious about but haven't read yet are Pollan's In Defense of Food and local pastor Craig Goodwin's Year of Plenty.) Then you can make your own informed choices about your family's food.

Leave a comment about your ideas!