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12 Substitutions for The Kite Runner
High School Literature: Messy and Grown-Up What’s a parent to do when a book like The Kite Runner gets assigned in school? High school students are learning to read as adults; the high school literature canon reflects that: The Great Gatsby, Great Expectations, Lord of the Flies, Fahrenheit 451, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Shakespeare…. All of these are “adult” books in that they were written for an adult audience. And all of them contain “messy” elements: violence, bad language, sexual promiscuity, trauma, sordid family histories, etc. And yet, the traditional high school canon did not feature books as explicitly traumatic as a book like The Kite Runner. Darkness? Yes.…
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Is The Kite Runner OK for 10th Graders?
Is The Kite Runner OK for 10th Graders? “My 10th grader has to read The Kite Runner for school. Do you know anything about it? Is it okay for him to read?” “My 15-year-old daughter was assigned The Kite Runner for school. I’m not comfortable with her reading it. Can you recommend a substitute?” And so it goes. This is our readers’ number one school book substitution request. The Kite Runner: a Summary The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Riverhead, 2003. 371 pages. Reading Level: AdultRecommended For: Ages 16 and up* (note considerations below)Amir (the narrator) and Hassan grew up together in Afghanistan; Hasan and his father are servants in…
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Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason
Cracking Suspense Collateral Damage by Lynette Eason is a fabulous contemporary Christian suspense and the first book in the Danger Never Sleeps series which promises to be a cracking one. God has plans for all of our lives. Each one of us is equal in His eyes. Unscrupulous people judge others as to who is […]
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When She Was Good by Michael Robotham
Absolutely Thrilling When She Was Good by Michael Robotham is a marvellous contemporary crime suspense that I could not put down. It is the second book in the Cyrus Haven series but can be read as a stand-alone. Wow, what a fantastic book that totally consumed me. The action is told from two alternating points […]
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What Only We Know by Catherine Hokin
United What Only We Know by Catherine Hokin is a marvellous heart-breaking dual timeline novel that will consume you as you ‘live’ through the action. The novel is set in Germany, mainly Berlin, in 1936-1947, and in England in 1971-1990. Chapters alternate, as do the voices through whom the story is told. The horrors of […]
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Ark: Return Of The Templars by Paul Humphreys
Exciting Ark: Return Of The Templars by Paul Humphreys is a thrilling suspense set in 2008. The book shows the continuing fight between good and evil that has existed since biblical times. An ancient order of Knights is pitted against evil criminal masterminds. The plot is complex and well executed. The action was fast paced […]
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The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine
Combining Fact And Fiction The Ghost Tree by Barbara Erskine is a fascinating contemporary and historical tale that is grounded in fact. The author has taken the life of her ancestor Thomas from the eighteenth century and woven a story around his life – part fact, part fiction. There are two time periods linked by […]
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Devil’s Cauldron by Michael Jack Webb
The Battle Is Not Ours Devil’s Cauldron by Michael Jack Webb is a thrilling Christian dystopian novel revealing that life is a battle between the forces of good and evil. It is the second book in the series The War Of Men And Angels. Once more the reader is in for an exciting read as […]
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The Young Survivors by Debra Barnes
Heart-Breaking The Young Survivors by Debra Barnes is a marvellous historical debut novel. It is completely absorbing and I could not put it down. The novel is grounded in fact as it is based on the author’s mother’s wartime experiences. It is a tribute to the indomitable human spirit and to the six million who […]
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How to Be a Person by Catherine Newman
How to Be a Person humorously introduces middle-graders to life skills both practical and thoughtful. How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful Super-Important Skills to Learn before You’re Grown by Catherine Newman, illustrated by Debbie Fong. Storey Publishing 2020, 159 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12 Growing up used to be taken for granted: a natural process whereby a child gradually acquired sufficient “life skills” for independent living. Today, with 20-somethings signing up for “adulting” classes because they don’t know how to do laundry, books like How to Be a Person seem like an increasingly good idea. Even conscientious homeschool parents can let a…
