Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by justjoel
The Gamer by Tonya Duncan Ellis
2.0
I received my copy of The Gamer via a Goodreads giveaway, which has no effect on my review.
I read this book to fulfill the prompt of “A book by a local author” for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.
I originally entered the drawing for this book, thinking it would be nice to win for my nieces and nephew. The book says it is geared toward ages 8-12, but I think it might be a more narrow focus toward the lower end of that range. Right now, I am positive my 12-year-old nephew will turn up his nose at it, and I think his 11-year-old sister will as well. There are illustrations within that are fairly plain, and something I would consider normal for books geared toward early readers.
This book deals with how a family chooses to celebrate Lent by giving up something that’s important (or a perceived negative) to them. Second-grader Cole Washington is encouraged to go without video games for 40 days, while his sister, Sophie, has it suggested that she stop complaining and being a tattletale.
I had a little issue with this, because Cole definitely needed an intervention to get his obsession under control, but his change revolved around an external change, whereas Sophie’s was more of a “Hey, change your personality because we don’t like who you are,” from her parents.
I’m sure that’s not the lesson the author intended to give, but I found it troubling.
Another issue I had was having to pause and research whether or not Baptists actually celebrate Lent (most do not—in fact, I know dozens of them, and nary a one celebrates Lent). Having it acknowledged in the book that this was something not all Baptists do would have been a nice touch.
By the end, I was a little confused by the moral message. Apparently it is okay for Sophie to tattle when it might keep her brother out of trouble, but he can be a conniving little so-and-so without a whole lot of repercussions.
Ultimately, all I got from this was that boys will be boys, and girls need to not complain unless it’s to keep a boy out of trouble.
2 out of 5 stars.
I read this book to fulfill the prompt of “A book by a local author” for the 2018 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge.
I originally entered the drawing for this book, thinking it would be nice to win for my nieces and nephew. The book says it is geared toward ages 8-12, but I think it might be a more narrow focus toward the lower end of that range. Right now, I am positive my 12-year-old nephew will turn up his nose at it, and I think his 11-year-old sister will as well. There are illustrations within that are fairly plain, and something I would consider normal for books geared toward early readers.
This book deals with how a family chooses to celebrate Lent by giving up something that’s important (or a perceived negative) to them. Second-grader Cole Washington is encouraged to go without video games for 40 days, while his sister, Sophie, has it suggested that she stop complaining and being a tattletale.
I had a little issue with this, because Cole definitely needed an intervention to get his obsession under control, but his change revolved around an external change, whereas Sophie’s was more of a “Hey, change your personality because we don’t like who you are,” from her parents.
I’m sure that’s not the lesson the author intended to give, but I found it troubling.
Another issue I had was having to pause and research whether or not Baptists actually celebrate Lent (most do not—in fact, I know dozens of them, and nary a one celebrates Lent). Having it acknowledged in the book that this was something not all Baptists do would have been a nice touch.
By the end, I was a little confused by the moral message. Apparently it is okay for Sophie to tattle when it might keep her brother out of trouble, but he can be a conniving little so-and-so without a whole lot of repercussions.
Ultimately, all I got from this was that boys will be boys, and girls need to not complain unless it’s to keep a boy out of trouble.
2 out of 5 stars.