This one we have finished reading:
We all enjoyed the story very much and the children often begged for more. I'm not sure the best way to describe it. Perhaps "Little House on the Prairie from a male perspective." BUT... (Did you anticipate the "but?") It isn't as clean as LHP. The main family is, but the cowboys and others talk a little more coarsely, and the Lord's name is used in vain on various occasions. The main character, a boy about my boy's age, also tends to go behind his parents' backs repeatedly throughout the story. He almost always gets caught, and there are usually fairly negative consequences, but I'm just letting you all know in case this kind of rebellion in a story bothers you.
And this is the one we are working on now:
We're about half way through. You may be somewhat familiar with the story (which is based on the the authors' childhoods) from the movie. The story is very humorous, and we are all enjoying it as well, but...once again, the Lord's name is used in vain on multiple occasions, and there are some fairly mature topics touched on, such as birth control (which in the context is more in the lines of "population control").
Having read a lot, there have been many times when the Lord's name has been used in vain in print. It is something else though to read it out load and makes me cringe every time (so I often skip it and no one knows the difference).
Have you read these books? What do you think, if so?
I haven'r read either of the books. But I'm sure I'd be less than comfortable with the things you mentioned. Mine aren't really little, so I'd probably read it and stop and discuss it... But I do wish there were more books that were just.... clean.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read "Little Britches"...but "Cheaper By the Dozen" has been read to at least 3 generations of my family. My grandmother read it to my mom and her sisters and brother...my mom read it to me...and I got the book on tape a couple years ago and have since listened to in on a road trip with my kids. You are right, on the Lord's name in vain thing.
ReplyDeleteThe birth control FLEW over my kids heads at this point, my oldest is 9...but I could definately see it as a problem in coming years...well, not a problem so much as a discussioin point.