Dianne-TX Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 (edited) I would like more info. to determine if these are appropriate for our family. We are very conservative and picky in our book choices as well as movie and entertainment choices. In our book choices, we always want to put before our children good literature, but we also allow those fun books with certain stipulations. We don't just read anything. I especially do not want boy/girl relationship romances or the continuous preoccupation with romance or a focus on girls if it's a boy character of boys if it's a girl character, ykwim? Also, would these books be considered "twaddle" or a waste of time? We are reasonable, but also picky, if that makes any sense. :) Thanks for the info. ETA: I would also like your opinion on the Mandie books and movies. Edited May 31, 2012 by Dianne-TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 My son loves these. As far as I know there isn't Romance. It is family fighting over clues to solve a mystery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I'm picky here too. I read half of the first 39 Clues book, and decided it's not for us. There was no romance, no boy/girl silliness, the main characters seemed pretty level-headed, but the bad attitudes and meanness was over the top IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne-TX Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 Thank you both. I like to hear those details. Do you know anything about the Mandie books? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyforlatin Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm picky here too. I read half of the first 39 Clues book, and decided it's not for us. There was no romance, no boy/girl silliness, the main characters seemed pretty level-headed, but the bad attitudes and meanness was over the top IMHO. Oh, I don't know - the bad attitude and meanness actually highlight the overall goodness of the main two characters. I liked the way the series ended. Mean, selfish people can change, etc. I'm also picky because DD is able to imitate the way people talk, so I avoided the Kane Chronicles but gave in eventually due to her love of Egypt, but the 39 series took us on a journey around the world and connected us to history. Not trying to persuade anyone but it's better than the other series about those two girls, Bean or something. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acurtis75 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Dd7 read the Mandy books but we skipped the first one because Mandy's dad dies at the beginning and I thought it might be a bit intense because she is sensitive. I did not preview them but hearing her discuss th content they seemed interesting but not inappropriate. I am picky but also can't keep up with dd so have to go on recommendations a lot and pray for the best. She reads the Mandy books over and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne-TX Posted June 1, 2012 Author Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) Same here. DD devours books and has recently read a Mandie book and loves them. I've searched online and couldn't find anything specific that raised concern, so I always like to ask too. I did ask a young girl about them at the used bookstore who was buying some Mandie books and she said there wasn't any boyfriend/girlfriend relationship in them and that it's about a mystery in every one. Sounded innocent enough and just enough for dd9 at this time. She's gotten better with death in books as she's gotten older. I just don't want to whet an appetite in her or her brother, 11, for romance or the preoccupation with boys/girls. We will have books available that show that relationship in a wholesome, God honoring and beautiful way. Older literature does a good job of that. I remember thumbing through a chapter book at the library a couple of summers ago that dd brought to me to approve and thank the Lord I happened across a page that said, "I hope he likes me in these jeans." :001_huh::001_huh::001_huh: It was in the juvenile chapter book section and not a teen book! It wouldn't have been okay with me even if it was a "teen" book! I can't remember the series, but I thanked the Lord for allowing me to find that page. If it's in one series, it's in others. You can never be too careful and think most juvenile books are "innocent". Attitudes is another thing I don't like unless it relates to the story and is always shown to not be favored or gotten away with instead of enjoyed and laughed at or just passed over, similar to what is in a tv sitcom, kwim? If the bad attitude character changes, that's always good, too, but again, I don't want that to be overdoen in the books they read. Books influence thoughts and behaviors, too. Thanks for your help. ETA: As I was writing about attitudes, I also wanted to mention that I was disappointed with the classical music cd's, Classical Kids. I turned it off (I think it was the Tchaikovsky or Bach one) after the first 10 minutes because the children on the cd were constantly disrespectful, obnoxious, sarcastic and it took over the point of it being about a classical musician. It sounded like the obnoxious tv sitcoms trying to get an audience laugh every 10 seconds with something obnoxious or sarcastic. I was not pleased with those at all. Just fyi. Edited June 1, 2012 by Dianne-TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 The 39 Clues are short enough that you could read several yourself and decide if it is appropriate for your family. My son read the entire series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly1730 Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Thank you for asking about these. We just picked up the first one at the library on Wednesday after reading about it on Heidi @ Mt. Hope's blog. I love her booklists! Anyway, we are also very conservative in our media choices so I gave it to my almost 11 ds with the understanding that if he comes across anything inappropriate for our family he should let me know. I fully trust him to do that and I'll keep checking with him to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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