YA for the Wise

The Lightlings

2010-09-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is a little deviation from the normal books that are posted here due to the younger target audience, but it is worth noting as a "Juvenile Fiction for the Wise."

The Lightlings, while not Young Adult fiction, is worth having as part of your collection to minister to youngsters in your life-- kids you babysit, or young cousins, nieces and nephews, siblings... or to prepare a Wise library for future children of your own (which is my aim.)

There is no objectionable passage in the book, and not only is it free from conspicuously evil content, it is biblically sound, with Parent Follow-up questions in the back which point families to the True and Faithful Light of the World through scripture and heart-examination.

The Lightlings,
R.C. Sproul
Beautifully illustrated by Justin Gerard

42 pages
Summary: When Charlie asks why he is afraid of the dark, his grandfather takes the opportunity to illuminate with charming allegory why many people are actually afraid of the light.

THEMES: Creation, Kingship, sin, fear, worship, redemption, trust, image-bearers

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: In this allegory, God is portrayed as the King of Light, and His Son, whom the King of Light sent to become a lightling to save the lost, would grow up to be known as the Light of the World. The general regard for the holiness and worthiness of the King to be worshiped, adored and obeyed, is commendable and the follow-up questions as a springboard for further discussion and Biblical study is a great tool in the hands of parents who want to raise up their children in the fear and admonition of the LORD.

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Quest for Celestia

2010-06-14T15:00:00.000-07:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

Although I am quite partial to the depth and the charm of The Pilgrim's Progress, Steven James' Quest for Celestia was different enough to stand on its own two feet without needing to piggy-back off of Bunyan's classic.

Quest for Celestia draws a Wise rating for presenting a story which is entertaining, suspenseful, and inspiring without being tarnished with immoral or dishonorable elements.

Quest for Celestia, A Reimagining of The Pilgrim's Progress,
by Steven James
269 pages

Summary: Kadin meets with a wizard in a dark alley one fateful night who tells him that he is chosen. He gives Kadin a brown, leather bound book, old and worn. On its cover is a drop of crimson. It is a Book of Blood, a book of life. He is called to leave his hometown of Abbadon and journey to Celestia. He soon becomes aware of a deeply rooted, infected black lump on his neck for which he at first blames the Book of Blood. He must figure out whether he has it in him to venture to Celestia and how to get rid of the painful growth. THEMES: faith; testing; journey; friendship; social pressure; temptation

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): ZERO occurrences

VIOLENCE: Nothing of concern.

SEXUAL CONTENT: None.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of God's name used in vain.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: In this allegory, God is portrayed in the character of King Kiral. He is kind and gracious and good, but that doesn't mean that His followers do not experience hardship and adversity in this life. As the Bible, our Book of Blood, tells us that the heirs of God suffer with Christ so that we may be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:17)

And consider this: "the suffering of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18)
[See also 1 Cor. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:3; 1 Peter 3:17, 4:12,16, 5:10 ]

"For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" Philippians 1:29

Read Wisely!

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Things Not Seen

2010-06-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

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This book is the first of a trilogy and other than the careless use of God's name at the beginning of the book, I enjoyed this book and will follow up with the other two once I've read them.

I would have liked to rate this book Wise, but biblically we cannot view blasphemy as a small thing, after all, the third commandment states: "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7, also Deuteronomy 5:11) May we not forget to take this seriously and honor the name of the LORD.

Therefore the book earns itself a Use Discernment rating.

Things Not Seen,
by Andrew Clements
251 pages

Summary: Bobby Phillips wakes up invisible one February morning-- what follows are an array of adventures every teen would love to have, if only. But once the fun runs out, Bobby has to figure out how to be seen again, with the help of a new friend, Alicia.

THEMES: friendship, investigation, self-awareness, identity

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): ZERO occurrences

VIOLENCE: none.

SEXUAL CONTENT: none. There are some scenes where you feel the vulnerability of the character in his striving to not be seen and the danger of whether he suddenly were to become visible, but there is nothing objectionable in and of itself.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences

BLASPHEMIES: 3 occurrences of God's name used in vain all on page 5 when Bobby's mom realizes that he is invisible. The problem with this is that the Lord's name is used in shock and surprise rather than in prayer, and then He is thoroughly ignored for the rest of the book.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD:Again, not mentioned for the remainder of the book.

Read Wisely!

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Something to Anticipate

2010-03-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

Here are the upcoming book reviews to look forward to...

Ever by Gail Carson Levine
Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale
Quest for Celestia by Steven James

Reveille of the Heart

2009-12-17T11:28:00.000-08:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

This was a fun book to read as some of the settings were in San Diego, but also for the interesting plot lines that took me into the world of army training and life on an army base. It was enjoyable living vicariously through main character Cami as she struggled with making the cut, making friends and making tough decisions with her life.

Reveille of the Heart receives a Wise rating, not because the character behaved perfectly all the time, but because, though she was a flawed human being, she sought guidance from the Lord when she was struggling and she recognized her faults and shortcomings when she'd made mistakes.

Visit Kimberlee R. Mendoza's website here.

Reveille of the Heart,
by Kimberlee R. Mendoza

213 pages

Summary: Fresh out of high school, Cami Harrison joins the army to solve the problem of how she'll pay for school and where she'll get a job. She leaves her family and long-time boyfriend behind to make her way in the army. She expects training to be difficult, what she doesn't expect is Nathan Porter, fellow soldier, who becomes her best friend. Her relationships with the two men in her life are tested when Trevor, her boyfriend, proposes. She must decide between the man who always has occupied her dreams of the future and the one who stands true beside her every day.

THEMES: friendship and love; army; Christian values

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): ZERO occurrences

VIOLENCE: ZERO occurences

SEXUAL CONTENT: The threat of a guy forcing himself on the main character looms in one scene. It is not glamorized in any way and is expressed without being explicit.

DRUG USE: Trevor, the boyfriend, orders a pitcher of beer at a pizza joint. Even though he is of legal age to consume alcohol it is not something that Cami finds favorable.

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of God's name used in vain.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: Both Cami and Nathan have a proper biblical view of God. They pray when they find themselves in a predicament, and read their Bibles to find comfort and direction. Their attitudes toward God are refreshing in a world full of books that spit upon His holiness.

This book is December 2009's pick for the Win Wise Reading book giveaway!!! For a chance to win a copy, enter a comment on this post. One winner will be selected randomly on the 25th. Last chance to enter is Dec. 24th!

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Win Wise Reading #2-- The Results!

2009-11-28T22:46:00.001-08:00

And for the second lesser-awesome book giveaway (only God is truly awesome, everything else is lesser) with the prize of a free copy of The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau is...

drummer-boy drum roll please...

pa rum puh pum pum...

out of a large number of TWO, you heard it right, TWO entrants (from the same family), the totally random winner according to random.org is...

SABRINA F.

Hmmm, again.

You, my faithful blog follower, are beginning quite a library of Wise Reading material.

YAY!

Keep up the good reading!

Your package is in the mail-- well, shortly anyway.

The Wish

2009-11-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

Gail Carson Levine, author of Ella Enchanted, has fast-paced prose and does not disappoint in this book with her wit and narrative charm. The book was entertaining, the reader sympathizes with the main character as she struggles to reconcile her desires with what's right. Flawed-but-likable Wilma takes the reader through a story with heart, and wraps up with a satisfyingly realistic conclusion.

The Wish receives a Wise rating for its lack of caution-worthy material, and sheer cleverness.

The Wish,
by Gail Carson Levine

243 pages

Summary: A modern day fairy tail about eighth grader Wilma Sturtz who has suffered unpopularity since an unfortunate classroom incident when her English teacher reads her creative writing assignment out loud. When she helps an old lady on the bus she receives one wish, popularity at school. Unfortunately she might have been too specific with her wish and her time as the school's favorite person is coming to an end.

THEMES: junior high, popularity, modern day fairytale, wise reading, ya for the wise

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): ZERO occurrences

VIOLENCE: ZERO occurrences

SEXUAL CONTENT: There are kissing scenes, but tactfully described.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of God's name used in vain.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: No mention of God in the story.

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November's Shelf

2009-11-09T21:27:00.000-08:00

Announcing the line-up of book reviews to be posted within the next two weeks:

Book of a Thousand Days, by Shannon Hale
Quest for Celestia, by Steven James
Redeeming Love, By Francine Rivers
Reveille of the Heart, by Kimberlee R. Mendoza
The Wish, by Gail Carson Levine

And just a hint-- some of them will receive a Wise Rating!

November's Win Wise Reading Book Giveaway

2009-11-09T00:14:00.000-08:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

November's book for the Win Wise Reading Giveaway is City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau.

The following are the rules for entry:

If you are visiting and haven't signed up to follow this blog yet, doing so will enter you for a chance to win. (Click on the "Follow" button under Followers)

Also for every comment you submit (that I moderate and approve) you will be entered.

Finally, there are two ways to earn two credits for entry into the giveaway, post a link to this blog on your site and then enter a comment on any review with your website's address. Once the link is confirmed, I'll put your name in the "hat" TWICE for this move! ==OR== add me as a friend on Facebook and post the link from your profile. Again, double credit.

Contest entry deadline is the 24th of the month.

The drawing will be randomly selected from the entered names on the 25^th of the month and I will post the name of the winner! (the winner must email me with their address in order to receive the book. I will not use your address for any other purpose than to send the book to you.)

Introductory Premier Initial Inaugural Book Giveaway!!

2009-10-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that it's the first-of-its-kind?

And the foremost winner of a copy of Ida B. according to random.org is...

SABRINA F.

Congratulations, Sabrina (who just so happened to be the most recent comment submitter on the Ida B. post.)!

Keep an eye on the mail for your copy and enjoy!

The drawing for the next book giveaway will be announced by Tuesday.
I should have a few more book reviews posted within the next couple of days as well!

Breaking Dawn

2009-10-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

This final installment in the Twilight Saga was again a step further into the cautionary factors. I enjoy the authors writing style, I just wish that the content of the stories was not so much "darkness" dressed up as "light".

There was an increase in "soft language" (see below) and the relationship content leaned further into the disturbing realm. Having now read the entire saga, I would strongly caution any Christian away from reading them, especially younger audiences and those who are impressionable. Because the content starts out seemingly "harmless" it draws the reader into believing the ending to be a good and happy one.

With eyes fixed on eternity, it is anything but a good and happy conclusion.

Breaking Dawn (Book Four in the Twilight Saga),
By Stephenie Meyer

(2008)
754 pages

Summary: As Bella embraces her role as a wife, the decisions she makes will have far-reaching consequences. Her wedded union brings another dose of danger to her new family, old friends and her own life.

THEMES: vampires; werewolves; immortal children; prejudice; friendship and love; self-sacrifice; at-risk pregnancy; imprinting

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): 25 occurrences (13 C-words, 8 uses of hell as a swear word, 4 D-words)

VIOLENCE: As is written in the prologue, Bella states, "When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give your beloved, how could you not give it?"

There are two circumstances where Bella technically "gives her life".
When the audience part of me knew that in this fictitious world Bella would- in her mind- be "happiest" with Edward, I have never so entirely wanted my heart as a reader to break from the main character making a wiser decision.

SEXUAL CONTENT: There was marital intimacy without being graphic. However there was extensive contemplation and even a proposal of sharing partners in the hopes of solving a potential problem.
Yikes, that compounds their problems, it doesn't solve them!

DRUG USE: 1 unusual occurrence.
Without getting into too many storyline-spoiling details, there are instances where a character is prescribed to drink donated human blood from a cup.
While the Cullen family calls themselves "vegetarians" because they restrict their blood-drinking to animals, let's see what the Bible has to say, even about this:
"You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood. Whoever eats of it shall be cut off." Leviticus 17:14
"Be sure you do not eat the blood, because the blood is the life..." Deut. 12:23
If those sound too much like an Old Covenant law, let's look at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, specifically verse 20: "Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from meat of strangled animals and from blood."

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of God's name used in vain.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: They have technically cut out any need or desire for God in the removal of death's inevitability, as if they could exist apart from Christ (He is before all things and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:17).
If these characters stood before God today, let's see how they would measure up to God's requirements...
You shall have no other gods before Me. ======> BROKEN (The God of the Bible is not their Lord and Master)
You shall not make for yourself an idol...======> BROKEN (they idolize and worship one another)
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name. =====> No evidence of misuse.
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. =======> They never set any time aside to honor God.
Honor your father and your mother... ======> BROKEN (continually deceiving Bella's parents)
You shall not murder. =====> BROKEN (by Edward in his early vampire days, and Bella's hatred reveals a murderous heart according to Jesus' words in Matthew 5:21-22)
You shall not commit adultery. ======> BROKEN (again, according to Jesus' words they have committed adultery in their hearts. See Matthew 5:28)
You shall not steal. =====> No evidence that I recall of this being broken.
You shall not lie. =====> BROKEN
You shall not covet. =======> BROKEN, BROKEN, BROKEN, and, Oh yeah, BROKEN.

Now keep in mind scripture says whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of all of it. (James 2:10)

Neither Bella nor Edward profess belief and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, therefore they are bound to stand before God as the judge of their deeds. He does not judge on a curve, He judges in comparison to the perfection of His SON. They fall dreadfully short.

Now would be a good time to examine yourself. How would you hold up in light of the requirements of God's Standard?

Are you trusting in Jesus as the Bearer of the wrath that you rightfully deserve?

Is God increasing your Christ-likeness daily?

Have you been made a new creation?

I pray that your desire is for godliness and the honor and glory of the God of the Bible.

If you are a child of God, celebrate the fact that Jesus prayed for you. He prayed this: "For You granted [the Son] authority over all flesh that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:2,3)

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New on YA for the Wise: 'Win Wise Reading' Drawings!

2009-10-07T16:57:00.001-07:00

That's right! I want to get wise reading materials into your hands. So, I'm starting a new drawing where if you sign up as a blog follower or you post a comment on a review you will be entered to win a book that has been rated WISE! I am starting out doing this monthly. Once I get more books with a Wise rating I hope to switch to semi-weekly.

Here's how to play…

If you've already signed up to follow this blog, then you are automatically entered in this first contest. For future contests you will have to post a comment on a review in order to be entered.

If you are visiting and haven't signed up to follow yet, doing so will enter you for a chance to win.

Also for every comment (that I moderate and approve) that you submit you will also be entered.

Finally, if you want two credits for entry into the giveaway, post a link to this blog on your site and then enter a comment on any review with your website's address. Once the link is confirmed, I'll put your name in the "hat" TWICE for this move!

This first month's Wise book drawing will be for Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan (rated for all ages).

I hope you have fun with this!

Eclipse

2009-08-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

The literary parallel of this book was Wuthering Heights. It is interesting how Stephanie Meyer draws out similarities while still writing her very own book. The writing style is engaging, quite clever and humorous throughout.

Having said that, there were definitely more mature themes in this book and so earns itself a Strongly Cautioned rating, bordering on Not Recommended, especially for younger audiences. (See the criteria and other items of note for reasoning.)

Eclipse, (Book Three in the Twilight Saga)
by Stephanie Meyer

629 pages

Summary: As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob --- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

THEMES: vampires; werewolves; Wuthering Heights; prejudice; friendship and love; self-sacrifice; unhealthy relationships; controlling relationships

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): 15 occurrences (5 C-words, 7 D-words, 3 H-E-double hockey sticks used as a swear word *that's spelled out for you, Richard.☺* )

VIOLENCE: A fight sequence appears in this book, in which bad vampires are ripped to chunks (as if made of marble) and burned, one of them is also beheaded in front of the main character, however since there was no blood it is not a graphic scene, but nonetheless disturbing for her to witness.

SEXUAL CONTENT: There is quite a bit more sexual content in this book. There is a parental sex-talk where Bella's dad concedes that he understands times have changed and he will try to be open-minded and begs her to be responsible. To which, the main character assures him begrudgingly that she is a "...virgin and [has] no immediate plans to change that status." She pauses before virgin as if it is shameful.

Later in the book those non-plans become plans and while "spending the night together" (as they still do every night while deceiving her father) Bella repeatedly tries to coerce Edward into having sex. He continues to push her away, wanting to get married first.

I can appreciate that, but they could use a good dose of 2 Timothy 2:22 which says, "flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart." Make-out sessions night after night in bed is far from fleeing from lust.

This is evident in Bella's reaction to Edward pushing her away. She said, "If we're not going to get carried away, what's the point?" (page 188) This is an honest warning. But if we remember Jesus' teaching on the sixth commandment not to commit adultery, Edward and Bella have already committed adultery in their heart and are in desperate need of the gospel. (Matthew 5:28)

Several times Jacob attempts to compel Bella into a relationship with him, and their friendship continues to be strained and, at times, inappropriate.

There is so much more, but it falls somewhere along the lines mentioned above. Just know that it is pervasive.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences of literal drug use, but Jacob comments that Edward is like a drug for Bella (page 599), I completely agree. She doesn't seem to think rationally with regard to him, and it is clearly unhealthy and ungodly.

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of God's name used in vain.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: Again no clear mention of God, but there is rampant misrepresentation of His creation, heaven, and hell as well as other biblical concepts.

Romans 3:12 and 23 make it clear that there is no good person-- good according to God's standards, none without sin. Yet, repeatedly the world's opinion that there are is represented in the book. Specifically, her dad says he knows she'll "do the right thing. [Because she's] a good person." And Bella attributes goodness ("truly good to the core", page 111) to the Cullen family.

In stark contrast to the teaching of Scripture that many will follow the broad road which leads to destruction and not life, Bella assumes that heaven is for all people who have a soul. Wrong. All souls are eternal-- by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ some will go to eternal life, and the rest to eternal punishment. (Matthew 25) There is no middle ground.

Bella's made up her own personal definition of hell: somewhere Edward won't be. (page 455)That sounds oddly distant from the reality that hell is a physical location separated from God's glory and goodness, forced to drink the wine of the wrath of God, in full strength, in the presence of the holy angels and the presence of the Lamb. (Revelation 14:10)

That is a staggering visual. And a lot more powerful that verbose teen hyperbole based on the lust of the flesh.

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New Moon

2009-07-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

Click to view this book on Amazon.com

This book purposefully parallelled Romeo and Juliet in many aspects, and that was interesting. Again the inner conflict and character struggles were fairly well played out. The character jumps to wrong conclusions several times in her self-consciousness, but who hasn't done that at one time or another?

This book increased in language and mature content (see Theme and Other Items of Note) and so earns itself a Strongly Cautioned rating.

New Moon (Book Two in the Twilight Saga),
by Stephanie Meyer

563 pages

Summary: When the Cullens, including her beloved Edward, leave Forks rather than risk revealing that they are vampires, it is almost too much for eighteen-year-old Bella to bear, but she finds solace in her friend Jacob until he is drawn into a "cult" and changes in terrible ways.

THEMES: Vampires; werewolves; high school; Romeo and Juliet; suicide attempts; depression; co-dependency

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): 20 occurrences [ 6 "hell" as an expletive, 6 D-words, 8 C-words]

VIOLENCE: Edward the male lead character asks for help in taking his life when he thinks that Bella is dead. When refused he plans a suicide attempt.

There is an old "royal" family of vampires who bring in unsuspecting guests, for dinner. Literally. This is not revealed in a glamorous light, nevertheless it is present.

There is verbal cruelty among some of the characters where they wound one another with the things that they say, this is usually regretted later, however.

SEXUAL CONTENT: Because the couple are separated for a good majority of the book, we do not see the indulgent intimacy to the extent that we did in the last book, until the end.

During their separation Bella spends a lot of time with her best friend, Jacob. Though she knows he has feelings for her she needs his comfort stronger than she wants to protect his heart. She toys with "making him belong to her" just so that she can keep him around, even though she doesn't love him as much as Edward.

Later, as in the first book, what is especially concerning is that when Bella and Edward are together, she can tell when Edward is "thirsty" because of the color of his eyes, and she knows that her scent is an exceptional temptation to him and yet she does not protect him or herself by keeping a mature and safe distance, or maintaining some modest integrity. He constantly has to push her away in order to save her life.

This is a situation that I would hope young Christians would not emulate in their own perseverance in purity. Love is not love when you cause the object of your affection to stumble and lust.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurences, though Bella's blood is described as having a siren call over Edward and smelling like his own personal brand of heroin. I don't think anyone under wise counsel would encourage a recovering drug addict to inhale, hug and kiss a heroin pipe and then set it aside only when it becomes too much of a temptation to indulge entirely in your addiction.

Very foolish. We are exhorted to "watch and pray so that [we] will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." (Matthew 26:41) The measure of our faith is not how close we can get to sin without crossing the line, but how well, by the grace of God, we flee from it.

BLASPHEMY: ZERO occurrences of using God's name as an expletive.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: There are conversations that necessitate the existence of God, and yet they mostly avoid any truth.

pg. 36 there is a discussion between Carlisle (Edward's adopted father) and Bella. He says that in his nearly four hundred years he's never seen anything to make him doubt whether God exists in some form or the other. (see Romans 1:18-32, and James 2:19-- this general belief is not enough to save. Even the demons believe God exists, and they tremble. Yet they are still condemned.)

Bella admits that her life is fairly void of belief.

Carlisle hits the final nail when he says, "But I hope, maybe foolishly, that we'll get some measure of credit for trying."

That is salvation by works. No one can earn their way into God's kingdom by good behavior. Only salvation by grace, through faith, by repentance and clinging to the cross with the strength that the indwelling Holy Spirit supplies to those who are the Lord's.

There is a point where Edward says that claiming that he didn't love Bella was "the very blackest kind of blasphemy". I think they've confused the meaning of blasphemy. Unger's Bible Dictionary explains that blasphemy signifies the speaking of evil of God, to curse the name of the Lord, or to give the attributes of God to a creature.

Bella is guilty of this every time she speaks of Edward's "perfection". No one is perfect, but God.

OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE: There is an alarming aversion to marriage by the main character, Bella. Granted her parents made a mess of their marriage, and her mother drilled it into her to take marriage seriously and not marry too early. That is sound advice to an extent, but the character has made the mistake of making "marriage" the bad guy even though she has firmly professed her undying love for Edward and her intent to commit herself to him for "eternity" (a promise she cannot keep as a human). She has, as a result, a skewed and unhealthy view of the marriage covenant.

There is the continued admission that the characters (Bella and Edward) do not have the discipline to not do potentially hurtful things to the people they claim to love, and therefore they write off even trying for the sake of selfish indulgence. (pg. 513 is an example)

Bella repeatedly breaks her father's explicitly stated household rules, contending that she is legally an adult and threatens to move out (visibly hurting her father with the threat) whenever he tries to discipline or admonish her. Though she regrets hurting him, she feels completely justified in dishonoring him in this way.

on pg. 514 Edward tells Bella: "I'm not as stong as you give me credit for. Right and wrong have ceased to mean much to me."

Not a great message to be feeding the youth.

There is also a terrible amount of co-dependency happening between the two characters, setting the reader up to believe that when they fall in love, they will not be able to function with any degree of joy if the person they love is not with them. And that if they die there is no reason to go on living.

There is an ongoing struggle between the characters since Bella wants to become a vampire so that she can live forever with Edward, and he doesn't want her to become a vampire because he fears that you lose your soul when you become one, thus forfeiting heaven.

When the characters reunite, Bella foolishly states, "If you stay, I don't need heaven." (pg. 547) This elevates Edward in his importance and worth far above the value of being in the presence of God to worship Him and enjoy Him forever. I hope that this tragic (and ultimately evil) attitude never takes up residence in the hearts or minds of young Believers because it has been presented as sentimental and sweet in this book.

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Twilight

2009-07-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

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The thing that first attracted me to these books were the simple, lovely covers. I didn't know anything about the content, but the covers caught my attention. I know, I know, don't judge a book by its cover. Anyway, by the time I received the book from my www.paperbackswap.com wishlist I had a general knowledge of the book's theme. I am not really into vampire novels, so it got shelved while I was busy reading other material.

Then I heard that my young cousin was reading the book, so I decided then was as good a time to start as any.

I will say this for the book: it is well-written, with mostly compelling struggles (albeit in a very fictitious world). The voice of the main character is witty and entertaining so that, as a reader, you don't mind being in her head.

I am glad, though, that I have read three of the books so far before posting this review. The books rise in mature themes and content, therefore I need to mark this with a firm "Use Discernment", and the rating will go up as the series goes on. So keep this in mind if you are considering reading this book. You will most likely want to read the rest and the themes get increasingly questionable. More details follow in the break-down of criteria.

Twilight, (Book One in the Twilight Saga)
by Stephanie Meyer

498 pages

Library of Congress Summary: When seventeen-year-old Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, she meets an exquisitely handsome boy at school for whom she feels an overwhelming attraction and who she comes to realize is not wholly human.

THEMES: Vampires; High school; first love; keeping secrets; temptation

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): 3 occurrences (D-words)

VIOLENCE: This is a vampire novel, so there are "bad" vampires who attack and kill or attempt to kill people.

SEXUAL CONTENT: There are scenes of impassioned kissing, with little restraint. Love is supposed to be the acceptable excuse for why they can hardly control themselves.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: God is very decisively avoided, although the lead male character comments: "I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly." (pg. 87)

OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE: The following details are concerning...
The relationship between the main character and the male lead is presented as very romantic and something to be sought after, but, besides the fact that he is a vampire and she is human, there are some very unhealthy roots to their relationship.

Bella, the main character, has the classic bad-boy syndrome. She is enthralled with the idea that her romantic interest could be dangerous but chooses not to be. She also has a very unhealthy view of Edward, the male lead. Repeatedly she refers to his "perfection" and that he is a "godlike creature" (pg. 256). It seems that her affection for him closely resembles obsession, and not in a poetic way.

There is a scene on page 103 where Edward displays odd outrage and controlling tendencies and this is never apologized for or resolved, just forgotten. He also sneaks into her room via the window (without her knowledge) and watches her sleep. Creepy-- but it is presented as very endearing because of his curious and protective intentions. After she finds out about this, he continues-- with her permission now-- all the while deceiving her father. Although they do not actually have sex, they are "playing married" with their emotions and intimacy and successfully pretend she is alone and sleeping when her dad comes to check on her. Again, this is all supposed to be romantic, and excused because of their uncontrollable "love" for one another.

Time and again, Edward speaks of not having the willpower to stay away from her although he knows that it is in her best interest, safety-wise, to do so. And she lacks the strength to maintain self-control when she kisses him, and instead pushes the limits.

Hopefully this information will help you in making a decision about this book. Keep in mind, also, that this is the mildest in subject matter of the first three of the four books. I don't want young Christians to feed into the notion that this is the way to love someone, or the way to be loved.

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The City of Ember

2009-06-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

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This book was so interesting, I didn't even mind reading it again for the purpose of this blog. Plus, in reading again from the beginning I caught foreshadowings of what was to come that I didn't see before.

I thought this book landed somewhere between a Wise rating and Use Discernment, but after examining my notes I am giving it the better Wise rating, I'll explain in my review.

This is the first book in a series of what is so far four books. I'll review all of them to make sure that the series doesn't slip into a less than Wise rating.

Let me make a suggestion: There is a movie out based on this book. As with most movies-based-on-books, the book is better. The movie takes some really big creative license, so, if you must see the movie-- read the book first.

The City of Ember
by Jeanne DuPrau

Age 9-12

270 pages

Library of congress summary: In the year 241, 12-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a messenger, to run to new places in her beloved but decaying city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences.

SOFT LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences.

SEXUAL CONTENT: ZERO occurrences.

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: God is not mentioned, but in a couple scenes a character asks Lina several questions which would best be answered with "God". For instance, in the Greenhouse on page 67, Lina's old family friend Clary asks: "Look, something in this seed knows how to make a bean plant. How does it know that?"

Answer: God.

And then, "It knows because it has life in it, but where does life come from?"

Answer: God.

On the next page, she goes on, "They say the Builders made the city. But who made the Builders? Who made us?"

Answer: God.

But these questions just hang, without the characters receiving an answer, for the remainder of the book.

I will say, I'm not sure if this was the author's intent or not, but, at the end of the book it's obvious that nature- as God designed it- is vastly superior to what man could come up with.

Can I get an Amen?

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Fablehaven

2009-06-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

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I think the idea for this first book in the series is very clever: Brother and sister go to Grandparents' estate to find out that they are the caretakers at a preserve for mythical creatures. Magic and danger ensue-- much of it tied to whether the kids obey instructions or not. The struggle to protect family, Fablehaven and perhaps even the world begins.

There are, however, a few precautions I want to make to the Bible-believing reader in the References to and General Attitude Toward God section, so I rate this book with Use Discernment.

FABLEHAVEN

by Brandon Mull

Ages 9-12

351 pages

Library of Congress summary: When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents' estate, they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle between good and evil is looming.

THEMES: Magic; Grandparents; Brothers and sisters; obedience

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences!!

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): ZERO occurrences!!

SEXUAL CONTENT: ZERO occurrences!!

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences!!

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences!!

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: I think young readers can be protected if they know what issues in their book are Biblically wrong, and situations such as these can be a good tool to strengthening their faith if they see the correction in a Biblical light.

For instance, the preserve is said to be "consecrated ground" but God doesn't seem to be especially welcome there so how could it be consecrated ground? "Then [God] said to [Moses], 'Do not come near here; remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.'" (Exodus 3:5)

And there is a shrine to honor the Fairy Queen and that "similar shrines abound on [the] property, and all can be dangerous" (pg. 78). If you take into consideration the danger of kindling God's wrath against those do no homage to the Son (Psalm 2:12), but allow pagan shrines to abound, then yes, I agree, their presence would be very dangerous.

There is a witch on the preserve who is unsavory and not depicted with any glamour when she is bound, but, though still evil, she appears very attractive when she is set free. The Bible tells us something similar: "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." (2 Corinthians 11:14-15)

One of the main characters, Kendra, says a silent prayer when they are facing danger, (pg. 286)but the prayer is pointless if it is not directed to the One True God, from the mouth of one who is His own.

"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)

The biggest concern I have is when the housekeeper states on page 114: "No mythology or religion that I know of holds all the answers. Most religions are based on truths , but they are also polluted by the philosophies and imaginations of men." That is true of all but one. The one, true Christianity that God has revealed to those who are His through His unchanging, abiding Word and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

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Ida B

2009-05-21T17:03:00.001-07:00

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I am so pleased to post the review of this book. It is about a million miles away from a NR rating and is so good it lands itself at just-about perfect. I absolutely loved Ida B's voice, she has the greatest sayings and the cleverest way of expressing herself. The reading is not interrupted at all with foul language or inappropriate themes. I could hug Katherine Hannigan in a powerful way.

Even though this book is on the "young" side of YA, I would recommend it to any age reader because the writing is so enjoyable and the main character so endearing.

Ida B ...and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World,

by Katherine Hannigan

246 pages

Library of Congress summary: Fourth grader Ida B spends happy hours being homeschooled and playing in her family's apple orchard, until circumstances force her parents to sell part of the orchard and send her to public school.

THEMES: Family life; School; Nature- Caretakers of the earth; Sickness

FOUL LANGUAGE: ZERO occurrences!!! Thank you Katherine Hannigan

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV): The absolute worst thing that occurs is on page 104: "You poor suckers," I wanted to say, and I don't usually use that sort of language. :o)

SEXUAL CONTENT: ZERO occurrences.

BLASPHEMIES: ZERO occurrences of the misuse of the Lord's name.

DRUG USE: ZERO occurrences.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: God is not mentioned, but heaven and church are. Under the circumstances the family faced, my heart yearned for them to pray, but the book doesn't claim to be from a Christian worldview. I'd rather no mention of God than a misrepresentation of Him.

A special 'Thank you!' to Jade who said this is her "favorite book that she has ever read." It was a great joy to read.

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

2009-05-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

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This was a very difficult rating to give-- not to mention the fact that I would have preferred my first rating to not have been the harshest available. The book had so much potential! It was cleverly filled with cartoon drawings, making it original, and the writing for the most part was humorous.

But when you look at the Criteria Statistics, I hope you'll see why I, as a Christian wanting to encourage responsible, God-honoring reading, felt compelled to give it this rating.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,
by Sherman Alexie

230 Pages

Library of Congress summary: Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

FOUL LANGUAGE: 39 occurrences (one "F-bomb")

SOFT LANGUAGE (heard on cable TV, but undesirable in the mouths of Christians): 32 occurrences

SEXUAL CONTENT: 22 occurrences

BLASPHEMIES: 11 occurrences of the Lord's name used as a swear word.

DRUG USE: alcohol use rampant around the characters, but never in a glamorous light.

REFERENCES TO AND GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD GOD: 5 occurrences. Very casual, crude, disrespectful. Examples: "More than anything, I wanted to kill God." (page 173), also main character refers to God creating thumbs so that boys could gratify themselves.

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Rating Logos

2009-05-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the break-down of the ratings for this blog:

If there is nothing objectionable in any of the criteria, the book will be given a W rating, for Wise Reading.

If there are mild occurrences of caution-worthy criteria, the book will receive a UD rating, for Use Discernment.

If the book contains more mature themes and language the rating will be SC, for Strongly Cautioned.

If the theme, language, sexual/drug content, and blasphemies are pervasive the book will be marked NR, Not Recommended for a Christian audience.

These ratings do not tell you whether the book is good or not. If you want further details, read the review and criteria statistics attached to the particular book in question.

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Upcoming Book Reviews

2009-05-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

Ida B. by Katherine Hannigan

Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

The City of Ember and The People of Sparks by Jeanne DuPrau

Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini

A Great & Terrible Beauty, Rebel Angels and The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray

Inspiration

2009-05-17T21:06:00.000-07:00

I pondered the fact that many Christian parents don't know what their teens and pre-teens are reading and don't have the time or discipline to read all of their books before they "authorize" their reading material.

Enter Me.

I love to read and have a soft spot for the Young Adult (YA) novel as you are more likely to find something sweet and clean for that age group than in the Adult section. However, that is not always the case.

I want to help protect the eyes and hearts of young readers by giving them the tools to make a wise decision where their reading material is concerned.

I endeavor to post reviews of as many YA books as I can wrap my eyes around.
In addition, I will rate each book with certain criteria, including:

Humor
The "Aw, sweet" factor
Action
Violence
Language, including Incidents of the Lord's name taken in vain
Sexual Content
Drug Use
References to God and the general attitude toward Him
...among others.

My prayer is that this website will be a useful tool in the hands of teens and parents alike.

Please feel free to give me book suggestions for review and I would love feedback where a rating has been helpful.

Here's to putting worthwhile reading before your eyes!

YA for the Wise

The Lightlings

Quest for Celestia

Things Not Seen

Something to Anticipate

Reveille of the Heart

Win Wise Reading #2-- The Results!

The Wish

November's Shelf

November's *Win Wise Reading* Book Giveaway

Introductory Premier Initial Inaugural Book Giveaway!!

Breaking Dawn

New on YA for the Wise: 'Win Wise Reading' Drawings!

Eclipse

New Moon

Twilight

The City of Ember

Fablehaven

Ida B

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Rating Logos

Upcoming Book Reviews

Inspiration

November's Win Wise Reading Book Giveaway