Diary of a Wimpy Kid has nothing on Wally McDoogle! Everyone says how hard it is to find books boys like. Most boys enjoy some slapstick, physical humor. Thus the success of the Wimpy Kid series. But long before those books hit the shelves Bill Myers was writing positively hysterical, witty, and clever books with a message of faith about a klutz of a kid with a great heart named Wally McDoogle. Maguire has been devouring these books. I loved Myers' adult novel, Eli, and decided to read this Wally McDoogle to see why Maguire was laughing so hard. I couldn't help cracking up at some of the antics. Yes, there are a few burps thrown in, but there are also real situations like grumpy gym teachers and friends who make bad decisions. There are lessons learned that aren't preachy, but real, that will hopefully equip little boys everywhere to make good choices.

Mallory has been reading the Scenarios series by Nicole O'Dell. Specifically, she's reading All That Glitters. This tween novel is the story of a twin who wants to be an individual. Drea longs for her own identity so fiercely, she begins to make some bad choices in order to gain popularity and attention at school. When she's gotten pretty far along on her downward spiral, she hits a fork in the road. Drea will either need to tell yet another lie, break another set of rules, and put herself in another questionable situation OR come clean with her parents and put an end to the madness. The fun part? The reader gets to choose which path the protagonist will take. These books are great, because they give a tween reader a choice, something they crave to be able to make on their own, but in the safe setting of fiction. The Scenario books also give the reader a view of the consequences of both a good and bad choice without actually having to face those consequences in real life. I read this book too, and it launched great conversations between Mallory and I on making good choices even when they're hard. Some of the content is geared towards teens (drinking, brief mention of drugs, and making out with boys), but as Mallory and I chatted about, it's good to discuss these things before you're actually faced with them, so you are more prepared to say, "No", when the opportunities arise. 

Maguire is plowing through the Chronicles of Narnia. Which means I get to too. I have no idea how many times I’ve read C.S. Lewis’ charming, multi-layered tales of the magical world of Narnia, but each time I do, I am awed by his creativity and how he uses allegory to hammer home some of the most beautiful elements of faith. I’m also always a bit tempted to bang on the back of my wardrobe again, ‘cause you never know. Maguire is currently reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is packed with ship voyages, sword fights, lost knights and dragons. It is also a tale of repentance, of seeing things through fresh eyes, and of trust. Maguire’s favorite character in the Narnia stories is Edmund. Which surprised me. At first. If you recall from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund is the traitor. He is selfish and snotty. I don’t ever like to admit it, but on my bad days there’s a bit of Edmund in me too. But Edmund is also the one who Aslan forgives. Who is redeemed. Just like what Jesus did for me, and for you. Actually, I do want to be like Edmund in that sense. And after being forgiven, Edmund goes on to be quite braver than anyone thinks he’s capable of, and much more sensitive to others’ needs, a better listener, loyal to the end, because that’s what Christ’s forgiveness does. And I definitely long to be like that. Chatting with Maguire about his thoughts and ideas on Narnia, give me a fresh insight into Lewis’ works, and a new appreciation for Edmund, and for my son.

Maddie’s summer reading assignments for high school this year were, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I get excited when she gets assigned the classics, because I love them. Because they resonate with me. Because they are what instilled in me the love of language and storytelling. I read both of these books as English assignments somewhere along the way, but now I’m excited to read them all over again, especially To Kill a Mockingbird. Did you know Harper Lee was a close friend with Truman Capote? Did you know that despite this being one of the best selling books of all time, a Pulitzer Prize winner, translated in over forty languages, this is her only novel? The story of Scout, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch has always stuck with me. It is, a story of respecting others, no matter who they are, or where they come from, or what you think they may or may not have done. Sounds like something we could all apply a little more to our lives. No wonder this one is a classic.

At long last Max is reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Maddie and I both read the entire series two years ago while we were in Germany. The real life Berlin Wall which divided citizens, so similar to the barbed wire dividing the districts in the book, and reading about the character of the twisted President Snow controlling innocent citizens while we walked streets where Hitler trod was almost too much to take in. It cemented both our history and this novel in my mind forever. I think I'm more excited that Max is reading this incredible, gripping story of bravery and fighting for what's right (with some great, clean romance thrown in) than he is. But I can't wait until he finishes, because then I'll be able to watch the movie again too! And hello, the Catching Fire movie releases in November!

Over the summer my husband lost his father, I lost a father-in-law and the kids lost their Papa. We were blessed with a lovely Father's Day celebration with him this year, the whole family gathered around overflowing and splashing with love. But goodbyes stink. And when you're little they're confusing. So, even though Maguire is reading chapter books -- no flying through them -- a dear friend sent this picture book to help illustrate the temporary goodbye of a loved one leaving earth until we meet them again in heaven. Never Say Goodbye by Lea Gillespie Gant is priceless. I gathered Maguire and the other kids too, yes even the high schooler, and had a little family story time. I couldn't get through the book, because its comfort and truth about death transcends age. As tears flowed down my cheeks, Mallory gently took the book from my hands and finished the story for me. For anyone experiencing loss, I highly recommend this book to shed a little light on death and heaven on young and not so young hearts.

Maddie is reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for her assigned summer read for freshman English. Speak is disturbing Maddie quite a bit. It is a book about depression. It is a book about date rape. Date rape is something no one wants to talk about. But it is critical that we address this trauma. One out of three women is sexually assaulted by the time she graduates from college. One out of three! It is such an important topic to me that I wrote a novel about date rape last year, It's Complicated. While I was writing It's Complicated, Maddie and I had several chats about date rape. She wondered why I would write about such a horrific topic. I explained how important it is for survivors to find faith and hope to get through this terrible ordeal, to realize they're not alone and that IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT. I told Maddie non-victims need to be informed, so they can help victims, so they can be aware, so they can make a difference. Because it frightened Maddie so much, and because this is a topic near and dear to my heart, I read Speak, too. Laurie Halse Anderson does a beautiful job with this novel. Her voice for the victim, high school freshman, Melinda, is so spot on, I felt like I was actually in her head. Anderson nails high school and brings to our attention the silent suffering so many teens experience. I highly recommend this novel. But to who? Maddie said she "hates" it. That's strong, especially from her. She's a great reader and a diligent student. But the content is like a nightmare nagging at her brain. When It's Complicated released I recommended it to 16 year olds on up, due to the content. However several younger teens have shared with me how it helped them with their personal struggles. So, how much do we protect our teens? When is it time to share? When are we ready to read about date rape? Probably never. But when should we? I'd love your input.