- a brother & sister visit their Gran who lives near the sea in England
- excitement and joy are broken up by arguing over which kitten to adopt
- convo: bickering, physical fighting (kicking, hitting, scratching), theology issues*
- language: x1 stupid, x1 shut up
Type: beginner chapter book
Ages: 5-8
Author: Patricia St. John
*Gran is faithful to tell the children a biblical story each night and pray with them. It appears to be their first exposure to the Bible; however, she simplifies things too much–to the detriment of the true gospel. There’s never any talk about sin or why we need Jesus–only that we need to ask God to be part of His family and “then everything is safe and happy.” It’s emotions-based. Later in the book, they talk about all being brothers and sisters with Jesus and that all you have to do is ask Him. It’s very vague. Of course not every book (or gospel sharing in general) needs to include truth about election and the finer soteriological points, but, as my generation of church goers has proven, we need a little more than the “love like Jesus” ambiguity. I promise, kids can hear and understand the whole gospel. It doesn’t need to be watered down.
The older brother is not a good example for young readers, though this story might shine a light on what happens when we act the way he does. He physically hurts his younger sister and lies to his Gran, but does regret his actions in the end. The girl, Carol, thinks to herself multiple times how much she hates Mark. Both of the children go unpunished for wrongdoings. Gran thinks Mark’s guilt is enough of a punishment.
Each child, though, eventually takes some of Gran’s lessons to heart and begins praying for his or her first time. They also learn that when kindness and love abound, situations are much more pleasant.
Overall, I believe this book can be used to illustrate various topics, but I would make sure children consuming the story know the full gospel. There are some good parts to the story, so each parent will need to decide what’s right for his or her own children. Personally, we’re going to let our children read it and see what they think, to spark discussion.