THERE is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
— Emily Dickinson
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
— Emily Dickinson
I am not sure how it happened. Surely the “I Love Reading” posters in my elementary school classroom had nothing to do with developing my passion for books. The puppet show at the library that sang the praises of the newest children’s book made me yawn. Alas, the majority of the paperbacks I bought from the book club catalog in my junior high English class did more to pervert my taste for good literature than develop it. Nevertheless, somewhere along the way, I learned to love reading. My only difficulty as a budding book enthusiast was learning to love the right kinds of books.
Although I preferred reading silently to myself, I always eagerly anticipated the time of day when my fifth-grade teacher would read aloud to our class. I remember laying my head on my desk and weeping over Billy’s dogs as she read Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. It didn’t matter that I didn’t like dogs. I became part of the story. I experienced this young boy’s grief and—at least for a few moments—I loved his dogs.
I still recall the blood rising to my cheeks as streams of indignation surged through my soul at the thought of Wilbur, the pig in E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web, being turned into bacon. I cheered for Charlotte, the beautiful spider who successfully saved Wilbur’s life. Never mind that I love bacon and hate spiders.
That is the power of books. Although we may have nothing in common with the character, and in spite of the fact that we have never been to the location described in the story, we are—at least temporarily—transported. What is more, we often find ourselves taking on the philosophies, tastes, opinions, and emotions of the author. That is why we can so easily sympathize with a character with whom we may not agree at all.
Yes, that is the power of books, and just like a tumultuous ocean, sometimes power can be dangerous. An undiscerning or young reader may be caught off guard by a well-written yet morally damaging piece of literature.
He may find himself being molded and shaped by the persuasive words of an author who has an ungodly worldview. This is where parents must protect and guide their children on their literary voyage. We must choose books that will establish and strengthen the child’s Christian worldview—either by the character’s strong and wholesome example or by the story’s honest depiction of sin and its consequences. Prayer and God’s Word are our compass to guide our children across the ocean of words that make up today’s titanic selection of reading.
A book can influence a child’s behavior. After I read Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, my speech was temporarily altered. I rejected my junior high dialect (probably a good thing) and flitted about speaking in a much exaggerated and dramatic nineteenth-century vernacular. I became my beloved characters. It soon wore off—much to the relief of friends and family, I am sure.
Watching my own children respond to certain pieces of literature has been a reminder of how a child can be affected. I recognized my past behavior in my daughters after they read L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Maybe it’s a “girl thing,” but I had to smile when I heard them using outdated language and exaggerated manners, and then planning their next sewing project from http://www.sensibility.com/, a website with patterns, sewing helps, and information on creating beautiful, feminine clothing from times gone by.
I realize how a book can engulf you. I know what it is like to take a precious volume to the bathtub because I can’t bear to part with it even for a moment. I understand the urge to finish “just one more page” when I know very well that it is way past bedtime. Whether my daughter realizes it or not, I am also fully aware that she is not storing the flashlight under her bed so that she can find her way to the bathroom in case of a power outage in the middle of the night. Good try.
Unfortunately, I also know the damaging affects of fluffy fiction and trashy romance novels. I was trained too many times by my paperback tutors. Directly from the school library shelf, I read about drug use, bathroom humor, insanity, child abuse, molestation, toilet slang, and “growing up” themes. Like it or not, I remember many of these books in detail 25 years later. They left scars that have been cleansed and healed, but they are still there nonetheless. That is the power of books.
We must understand this power and carefully steer the precious souls entrusted to us through the murky waters of book choices. When I was in junior high school, a student had to have a signed permission letter from a parent to check out a book by Judy Blume from the library. Now public school and local libraries freely offer books about homosexual families to children barely out of diapers. Books like Heather Has Two Mommies (written for two-through-six-year-olds) by Michael Willhoite and the newest outrage, King and King by Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland (written for six-year-olds and up), are clear attempts to brainwash our children into believing a lie about the sin of homosexuality.
Most Christian parents are wise in guarding their children from obviously damaging books like these, but they may allow their children to partake of literary junk food that may harm them in more subtle ways. Much of what is offered as literature to Christian children today is nothing more than a hardbound commercial for the latest “Christian” video series or sanitized twaddle seemingly written for a rebellious, illiterate teen rather than for an intelligent, godly young person. It certainly should not be considered suitable reading for a young, developing Christian mind.
Remember that just because a book is labeled “Christian” does not make it good quality literature. And just because a work has been touted as “classic” does not automatically make it appropriate for the average Christian reader.
We each have to make important decisions regarding literature choices for our own children, while remembering that appropriate titles may even vary within the same family, from one child to the next. You will see that inside Homeschooling Today® magazine the standards will differ among our own writers as well. The goal for us as Christian homeschooling parents should be to raise godly children who are discerning, well read, well prepared, and well educated; with pure minds, a strong Christian worldview, and a healthy appreciation and command of language—whether written or spoken.
So as you help your child steer that frigate through foggy waters and sometimes rough seas, be sure to take the time to inhale the salty air, let the wind blow through your hair, and enjoy the stars overhead, all the while respecting the power and wonder of the written word and glorifying and thanking the One who created it.
Tips for choosing good literature for your child:
— Invest in a good book list. Look for one that gives you a detailed description of each story. There are several book lists recommended by various writers in this issue.
— Ask trustworthy friends for guidance or suggestions. Remember that each family has different standards and that you will still need to exercise wisdom and discernment.
— Read aloud to your child. Discuss the characters, conflicts, and plots of the literature you have chosen. You will soon be able to discern how well your child understands certain themes and what he is able to handle.
— Choose classic literature to read for yourself. Though your time may be limited, set a reasonable reading goal for yourself.
— Pay attention to the attitudes of the characters. Pay special attention to the hero of the story. Although most Christian homeschoolers would not allow their child to become close friends with a child who is disrespectful to his parents, makes fun of authority, or lies, they may inadvertently do just that by allowing their child to read books with characters who behave sinfully with no consequences.
— Utilize our Living Literature section in each issue of Homeschooling Today magazine. We offer reviews of good literature along with a teaching/discussion guide for different reading levels.
— Pray for wisdom. Most importantly, ask God to show you what your child needs to read to be properly educated and equipped for the job He has chosen for him.
Originally publishd in Homeschooling Today magazine 2005
Artwork from Allposters.com
