One Special Year

by N.A. Perez

Book Overview

Chronicles the adventures of Jen and her family in turn-of-the century upstate New York. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395366933
• ISBN13: 9780395366936
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Content Possibly Not For Children

Jen McAlister is 13 when the New Year of 1900 rings in. She is becoming sensitive to the interactions of the people around her. During the story she senses alienation between her parents and watches as her older brother becomes more and more attached to a young widow. The pangs and joys of first love enter her experience and she struggles to understand her bitter old grandmother.Themes of love, tolerance and forgiveness give the book substance. Jen's brother, Luke, says to her, "Love isn't always safe. Sometimes it's hurt and risk and loss."Parents should use this book as a read-aloud instead of giving it to a child to read alone because the text raises questions that it doesn't answer satisfactorily. A discussion that Jen has with her grandmother expresses her anger at God. "Later, in St. John's, Jen's eyes lifted. . .She was confused by what she had learned that morning. Beliefs that had been instilled in her sice earliest childhood had been shaken. Gram challenged a rough God of Vengeance while Mama trusted a God of Love. Which one was right?"It is the duty of parents to discuss such issues with their children and to guide them as they see fit. Whether it is responsible for an author to include theological questions that might possibly destroy a child's budding faith in a story book for children is something that should be considered. Parents should be warned that such content exists.