Book Review: daddy dates by Greg Wright

I had the pleasure of reading the book daddy dates by Greg Wright. Greg Wright is the father of 4 daughters and realized that he needed to get to know his daughters and came up with the idea to `date' his daughters. He realized he `needed a better strategy to understand what makes them tick so [he] could have a shot at connecting with them in a profound way'.

Although I am not a father as a parent I found this book heartwarming. Watching many children grow up including my own and their friends there are many times where the parent/child relationship is strained and challenged. Taking the time to get to know your child or in this case daughter beyond "how was your day today". The dates do not have to be expensive they just have to be tailored to the child. You must connect with them. Find out what is going on in their life.

I think the relationship between Father/Daughter is so important. It will definitely have an effect on them choosing a spouse. Giving the daughter an understanding on how she deserves to be treated and not just letting anyone into her life.

I was truly blessed reading this book which offers lots of practical advice and the reason why Greg chose to date his daughter. A must to read for every father!

Disclosure: I was provided a copy of this book without charge by Booksneeze.com. No other compensation was received. Opinions are solely mine.

The Help ... by Kathryn Stockett

I just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett last night and needless to say I ended the book in tears. I definitely need to see the movie now that it is out. Maybe tomorrow night.

Over all it is a well written book that was easy to read and definitely kept me interested through the whole book. While the book is a work of fiction as I read the pages it was as if I was warped into the lives of Miss Skeeter, Minny and Abileen.

The Help is an engaging novel about life in 1962, in Jackson, Mississippi. The story centers around the three main characters I mentioned above, Miss Skeeter a white 24 year old recent college grad living with her parents, scheming to be a writer and the only non-married woman among her friends. Abileen is an older black woman with no living family working for Skeeter’s childhood friend Elizabeth Leefolt. Minny is Abileen’s best friend and former housekeeper to the town’s most popular and feared Hilly Holbrook who has made it impossible for Minny to get a job after a mysterious incident.

One of the things that most captivated me about this book was its voice. Written in first person from the views of Abileen, Minny, and Miss Skeeter, the characters come to life and their fears and dreams given breath. Although separated by a society that judged one’s worth by the color of their skin, they find their way to each other. And despite the risk — a risk even of death or mutilation — they take a step of faith and decide to write a book about what it’s like being a black maid in the south. A book full of made-up names but based completely on the truth as told by the maids in town.

I really liked that throughout the book there was always positive feeling despite the seriousness of the topics covered. The characters face their share of struggles and heartache. But amidst the struggles, there is light. Abileen telling stories to the little white girl in her care, trying to teach her that the color of skin doesn’t make the person inside. Minny teaching a housewife how to cook. An entire congregation of black southerners standing up and declaring that Miss Skeeter — a white woman — was a true friend. And she, in turn, finding disgust in the segregation laws she has grown up surrounded by.

This is a book that I am happy I have in my collection and definitely one in which I would tell others to read as well.

Now off to see the movie!

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

I am really finding this review difficult to write. Why you may ask? After reading this book I had to sit back and think and reflect back on the book and what I really truly thought of it.

What do I believe and what do I say about this book?

Summary:

This book is intended as a true account of a boy who visited heaven, as told by his father and a co-writer, Lynn Vincent.

Colton Burpo, the three-year-old son of Todd (the author) and Sonja Burpo, spent time in heaven and came back to talk about it. Colton’s experience was not the traditional near death experience since he never actually died. The first half of the book is the story of the events leading up to Colton’s visit to heaven. His dad, Todd, a Wesleyan minister, gives the nail biting story of dealing with his son’s stomach ache that was misdiagnosed as the flu. After many days of pain, trips to the doctor’s office, and multiple hospitals, they finally find out that Colton has a ruptured appendix that has been poisoning his body for days. At the edge of death, the doctors rush him into surgery while the parents are on their knees before God.

Colton survived. The medical reports give no indication that his heart ever stopped. While it was a very close call, the surgery was a success.

Over the next months, even years, Colton began, to the surprise of the parents, to explain what happened to him while in surgery. The rest of the book is filled with account after account of Colton telling his bewildered parents about his time with Christ in heaven. Things that Colton should not have known and had never been taught came to the surface as this three-year-old boy processed his faith as confirmed through his time with God.

I would rather that the father had been the only author, as since this is to be a true account, it is a crucial point to this book's integrity. As there is a co-author, it's hard to tell if she "spiced things up". The work itself is fairly well written, and keeps your attention.

The book is well-written and reads quite easily. I don't want to doubt the tales of little Colton Burpo because, quite frankly, we all want to know more about Heaven. I also do believe that God uses children to speak to adults.

I would recommend this book, but would say that everyone should decide for themselves how they feel about it. I have thought about it off and on for days, and am still not quite sure how I feel!

Please Stop Laughing at Me... by Jodee Blanco

I picked up this book and I finished it in a day. I could not put it down. I found this book eye opening. I know kids are bullied every day but to read some recount what has happened to them over years of abuse by fellow students and teachers makes it even more real.

I was horrified by the abuse that Jodee suffered from grade 5 to highschool. She was tormented, bullied, abused physically and emotionally for years. What surprised me more was the response by the teachers, administration and health professionals. The majority of the book describes in detail the accounts of the abuse she suffered which makes it difficult to read at times as she holds back no detail.

The book continues as she narrates her accounts on trying to fit in. How to be friends with the ones that taunt her daily. Every child has experienced wanting to fit in on some level but just not to the extremes that Jodee did as a child and teenager. There are some positive events in this book as well. After a year of enduring much abuse, Blanco take a trip with her family to Greece and she makes friends with the teens in the village despite a language barrier. Later, she attends a two week conference for writing at a local college. It is there she meets other kids who are outcasts at school. Both of these events show Jodee that there is a much bigger world out there then just her high school and give her motivation to go on.

Everyone should read this book... parents, teachers and health care providers. It is a story of strength and hope... Jodee Blanco survived bullying and she is speaking out to educate everyone on bullying. Jodee has written a follow up book Please Stop Laughing at Us that documents her quest to prevent school bullying.

I can't recommend this book enough. I couldn't put it down after I started it.