Fantasy Series: Fantasy is Addictive

Frankly, I did not mean to write this entire blog post in the style I did, but as it turned out, I felt led just to publish almost the whole thing in story format instead of as an article.  Maybe it will at least be easier to read...

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     "Susie, have you completed that assignment on the French Revolution?"
     Susie hastily slid The Return of the King into her desk, picked up her pencil, and was bent over the history book which lay before her, resting her left forefinger beside the paragraph which she was reading, when Mom opened the bedroom door. Mom was pleased to see her being so diligent, but repeated her question as Susie looked up from her book, apparently surprised by her mother's appearance.
     "No ma'am," she answered, pushing away the guilty feeling which told her she should have been working on her research paper instead of reading Tolkien's classic. But that book was just impossible to put down...

Fantasy, Pt. 2: Why is Fantasy so Popular - and So Dangerous?

     Fantasy/ Science fiction is the most popular genre in America, and has been the best selling category of literature for some time.  Why is this?  Why do fantasy fans love it so much?  Why does this genre have such power to grip people?  And does this power make these books (and movies) good to read?

     These are the questions I have asked myself over and over, but the answer is not difficult.  The secret of the power of fantasy does not lie in the fantastic creatures, wild quests, melting scenes, or bloody conflicts of the stories, but in their limitless capacity.  Put simply, the answer to the above questions is twofold:

Book/ Radio/ TV Series Review: The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger Rides

By Fran Striker

Rating:  4 out of 10

    Hold onto your hats as you read this rip-roaring tale!  Filled with intrigue, action, and gun-slinging cow punchers who use colorful language and bleed freely, this story will keep you on the edge of your seats!  Look out for the blazing six-guns as you--- but wait:  is this the kind of book Christians should be reading?

Book Review: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, by Kate Douglas Wiggin

Just in case you can't tell, I'm trying to catch up on posting about various books I have read or listened to recently. If you want to learn about family life, I think you will have to check our family blog.

Maybe sometime I will find time to post some pictures of us...

:)

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm

By Kate Douglas Wiggin

Rating:  6 out of 10 stars

    Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm is a humorous story about a young, imaginative, poetic girl whose lively personality is suddenly superimposed upon her elderly aunts’ strict, sober minded, and extremely practical and thrifty lifestyle.  Similar to Anne of Green Gables in that it is a story about a child with very little in common with her guardians, and focuses more on daily life and small struggles than on any great climax, this book follows Rebecca as she grows, matures, and finally graduates college and inherits her aunts’ home.

Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain

Rating:  3 out of 10 stars

    The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (and it’s even more popular sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn) would certainly be high on a list of the most famous and popular American novels.  These books “capture the spirit of American boyhood in the pre-Civil war era” and are a “nostalgic and humorous look at the naivete and simple eagerness of childhood”.  They are filled with dry humor, and combine the unlikely and adventurous with an unusually keen portrayal of real character and everyday life.  The pranks and attitudes of the boys (and girls) in the story are described in vivid and lifelike language, and the idiosyncrasies of Aunt Polly and the other adult characters provide an excellent foil for the children.  Tom’s creativity and imagination are hilarious; especially his idea of what a pirate’s or robber’s life is like.

    But are these books good reading material for Christians?  

Why Christians and Home-schoolers Should Not Read Fantasy- Pt. 1 (Summary)

What we read is very important, especially for children in their formative years. As Christians, we should be seeking the Lord and following Scriptural principles in our choice of literature. It has been on my heart for some time to write this article, but I kept putting it off until two weeks ago, when I listened to a Christian home-school podcast which was discussing fantasy, and speaking of its importance in a child's learning. I believe that the reading (and watching) of fantasy has had a very negative impact on our society, and that it is not a fitting genre for any Christian to read. I know this statement may seem a bit shocking, since fantasy has been widely accepted in Christian circles for quite a few years now. Because of this, I realize that many sincere Christians read and watch fantasy books and movies without ever realizing how damaging they can be. But for those of us who want to follow the Lord wherever He leads, we should be willing to sacrifice anything that hinders our relationship with Him, or is contrary to His Word, the Bible. Please take a few minutes now to read and consider these points about the fantasy genre, which you may never have considered before.

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Book Review: To Have and To Hold, by Mary Johnston

To Have and To Hold, by Mary Johnston

Rating:  4 out of 10 stars

    To Have and To Hold is Mary Johnston’s best known novel, and is set in the early days of America, in the settlement of Jamestown.  It is a romance novel, telling the story, in the first person, of Captain Percy’s hasty marriage, and the wild, unpredictable adventures to which it led.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Allegory or Trojan Horse?

First, let me say that I did not write this blog post to cause trouble, or be controversial.  I write it in sincere love to my brothers and sisters in Christ who may not recognize this series of books for what it really is.  I know this is a rather lengthy article, but please read it anyway, especially if you are a fan of The Chronicles of Narnia, or know people who are.

My prayer is that the Lord will speak through this article, and that only what is true will be presented.

(Not for human consumption)... I mean, not for Christian Reading: Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White

Charlotte's Web, by E. B. White

Rating:  3 out of 10 stars

Charlotte's Web is a well-known children's classic.  It is the story of a pig, Wilbur, the runt of a litter who is originally going to be killed by the farmer simply because of his small size.  The farmer's daughter, Fern, begs her father to give her the piglet, and tenderly cares for him until he is too old to stay on the farm, when, despite Fern's entreaties, he is sold to a nearby relative.

Of course, Wilbur's new owner has sausage, ham and bacon in mind when he purchases the piglet.  When Wilbur discovers this in conversation with the other animals he is inconsolable for some time.  Finally, a friendly spider named Charlotte comes up with a plan to convince the farmer that he is too splendid a pig to butcher, and must go to the fair instead.  Of course, the wise spider knows that ribbon winning pigs are kept as prized breeders, instead of being sent to the smokehouse.

Eventually, through messages which she cleverly weaves in her web, she creates enough interest in Wilbur to send him to the fair, where he receives an unusually high award, and is secured from the fear of being butchered.

The story ends with the death of Charlotte, and hatching of her 100,000 eggs, when one of her daughters becomes Wilbur's new friend.

Issues with this book:

Why I don't recommend The Boxcar Children or The Rover Boys: The Dangers of Dime Novels

The Dime Novel

I have been wanting to write about the problem of dime novels for a long time, but have never actually begun recording my thoughts until now, though my sisters have heard several long dissertations on the subject. The reason I am writing this now, is because I see many dime novels being extolled as "fast paced adventure stories", "classic childrens' literature", and the like. Lately there seems to have been a movement to bring back some of the dime novel series of the past, repackage them, and market them to homeschoolers.