I made a decision years ago that when my girls got to the age when they started to be assigned books in school, I would read those same books. This way I would know what they were reading and also know that they were reading them. :) That time has come and there have been some revisions to this plan. Miss O and I have decided that we will share our individual thoughts with you on each of the books we read. Know that we are not reading these together but rather taking turns each reading them.
This last month we have had two. Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur is the first and we will give you our input on it in this post. Another post will follow sharing our insights on Protecting Marie by Kevin Henkes.
After giving our thoughts on the book we will each rate the book on a 3 start rating.
* poor
** good
***amazing must read
Mom's Thoughts
A well written book about a young girl who is trying to find herself. Having lost her mother at birth and her father when she was a small child, she enters middle school struggling to identify who she is and what her future holds. Everything she has known seems wrong and she is embarrassed by the identity she feels others have given her. It is a little sad watching her struggle as I remember having similar struggles at that age and thinking about my Miss O, similar in age. Just as she is meeting with these challenges, however, she remembers a key she saw with her name on it and decides to investigate. This discovery leads her on a journey of self discovery and confidence that is both hard to read but reassuring also. She struggles as we all do in our lives, but she learns great lessons along the way. ** I give this book 2 stars. It was a good story including struggles and triumphs and seems like a perfect book for girls between the ages of 10-12.
Miss O's Thoughts
This book was good. Very inspirational. My favorite character is Elise. I enjoyed her curiosity and how although she had a lot of difficulties, I was able to watch her overcome these. This helped me because sometimes people tease other kids because they are having their own struggles and really they just need help and a friend. This book reminded me of that. It was sometimes hard to read because as she was facing her struggles and trying to figure them out, she sometimes made wrong choices. ***I give this 3 stars. I think this is a perfect read for girls or boys ages 9 and up who are looking for books that show examples of overcoming difficulties and struggles through adventure.
