_The Secret School_ by Avi

Ida wants to teach school when she grows up. She studies hard and works hard on the farm at home in Colorado. Unfortunately, circumstances beyond her control threaten her chance to be promoted in school. They say, "Where there's a will, there's a way," and Ida has a will.

This story, while no great literary masterpiece, is a good read with nothing I found objectionable. Ida and the other characters are good role models with several desirable character traits. While the main character is a 14-year-old girl, my 8-year-old boy enjoyed reading it, too.

_Raggedy Ann Stories_ by Johnny Gruelle

Legend has it that when I was a little, little girl, my family was driving from our home in California to my grandparents' house in Seattle. My parents were good parents, trying to teach me that the big city before us was called Seattle. They pointed out the front windshield and tried to teach me a new word, "Seattle, Seattle, Seattle."

Evidently, my little (less than 3 year old) mind only saw my Raggedy Ann doll on the dash, and to this day, her name is Attle.

I still have Attle, but for Raggedy Ann Stories, she came off the shelf in the top of the closet. I held Attle in my lap while my oldest daughter held her own Raggedy Ann, and over the course of a couple of weeks, I read the stories for bedtime.

These stories are delightful stories from a time past. My daughter and I liked them. If you or your little girl have one of the dolls, take the time to have a tea party and read a story from this book together.

Part-time Princess by Deborah Underwood

When my daughter was born, I wanted no part in the Disney princess nonsense. Sure, I like the movies and all, but I have concerns about what the princesses do for a girl's body image and her ability to fend for herself. So I was not going to have any of that princess stuff in our house.

I realize now that resistance is futile. In addition to gifts and hand-me-downs, we've caved and bought a few such coloring books and nightgowns. The girls love princesses.

Last week, however, I found a better princess alternative in Part-time Princess by Deborah Underwood.  This regular girl by day and princess by night digs pink, sparkles, frills, and tea parties, BUT she also is one awesome firefighter who fences, plays with frogs in the Royal Mud Puddle, and dances with trolls.

While she does dance with a handsome prince she may marry when she grows up, right now she's just too busy being a girl.

Did I mention she has an awesome relationship with her mother?

This picture book illustrated by Cambria Evans is fun, but also has a good message. So much in our culture pushes girls to either be pink and frilly or to be sporty and achievers. This books lets girls have it all; Part-time Princess shows girls they can be feminine and fun and accomplish important things (and get along with their mothers).

If you don't want to buy it, at least check it out at the library.

Pardon Me

I'm sorry if I do not post often to this blog. You see, my girls aren't reading yet, but my boys are, so I'll be focusing more on reviewing books for them.  Of course, if I come across something in my reading that begs to be discussed on this blog, discuss it I will.

The Petticoat Party series by Kathleen Karr

The series written by Kathleen Karr has four books: Go West, Young Women!; Phoebe's Folly; Oregon, Sweet Oregon; and Gold-Rush Phoebe. The books are historical fiction focusing on the life and times of one Phoebe Brown, a girl in her tween/early teen years traveling with her family on the Oregon Trail and later seeking her fortune in the California gold rush. The recommended age on the back is 10 up.

Gee, you'd think, with a title like The Petticoat Party, this series would be a no-brainer for a sure pick for girls. While the main character is a girl and there is some historical value, that's about all this book has going for it. And the list of reasons my daughters won't be reading it is long.

I first picked up the books at the library when my son (age 8) asked if they were okay for him. I was in a hurry and glanced at the cover. Hmm. . . not your typical boy book, I thought, but sure--it looks fun and historical. The next evening, after he had finished the first book and started on the second, he told me I should read them. I decided to read the back; I had time for that. And there was my first surprise:

"But just when twelve-year-old Phoebe Brown is sure she can't stand another day of her father and the other bossy male members of the wagon train, tragedy strikes. . . . They're going to change Manifest Destiny into Wo-manifest Destiny. . . no matter what it takes."  "Meet the first feminists of the frontier."

I needed to investigate this one further, so that night, with sleeping babe in arms, I read Go West, Young Women! and was appalled with what some on Amazon raved over and thought was funny. It isn't just a book that says, "Rah, rah!" for girls. It is a book that completely bashes and makes fun of almost all males.  I think, putting the best possible construction on it, that the humor flops. The characters are weak. The motivations that drive the plot seem forced. The description is pathetic. It just isn't good literature.

To top it off, it's not the great feminist book that it wants to be. Half of the women are just as pathetic as the men. Phoebe, the protagonist, isn't a strong female character; she has spunk, but no personality. The narrative is from her point of view, and she fixates on her chest and the provocative bodies of the Kennan twins, two girls who are boy-crazy and run off with Indian braves at every chance. She also notes repeatedly that her own older sister is overweight and dwells on it, making fun of her even. She only notes that her sister becomes beautiful when, starving due to running out of supplies on the trail, she loses a lot of weight. This attitude about body image is not one I want my daughters to pick up.

My advice is not to bother with these books; I didn't even bother to finish the series. The first three books were more than enough for me.