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* book reviews for ages 9-18. We are the only reviewer of children’s books to use a criteria based upon accepted definitions of good character. Reading books whose main characters learn from their mistakes and demonstrate good choices assist in forming the same in the mind of the child. Such books support character education and citizenship initiatives in your school, and family values in your home. They can be useful tools in discussion groups too. As you compile your summer reading list for your children or students, encourage the child towards these books. Although we review books that often do not meet our criteria (and so have not been posted on our website), we do have several reviews for great books in each age group to upload in the near future. So please keep checking for new reviews!

* Don’t forget our blog which has companion commentary for each book review: www.litlandcom.blogspot.com . Give us your thoughts about these books or ask questions too!

* The parents and teachers corner has extensive activities for many of the books we have reviewed. Even if you do not plan to read the book, check out the activities as the websites may be of interest for either personal or classroom use.

* Over 400 items in our bookstore have been hand selected with extra information given when helpful. We keep in mind how these books can be used: family book clubs, friends reading marathons, and as tools for connecting all subjects in the classroom/homeschool curriculum. For example, our Laura Ingalls Wilder store has versions of her books for all age groups, including biographies for each reading level, and a cookbook. This can be particularly useful for families reading together or homeschooling, allowing all members of the family to read versions of the books appropriate for their age and ability.

* Our bookstore also includes a teaching and homeschooling area housing books and materials to complement the subjects typically taught across early grades through high school.

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Debra Black

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” ~Ann Frank

So what do we think? Tuck Everlasting

 So what do we think? Tuck Everlasting

Babbitt, Natalie. (1975) Tuck Everlasting. Thorndike Press/Square Fish, Scholastic Inc. ISBN 10: 0312369816; reviewed ISBN 0-7862-5181-6. Publisher reading level grades 5-6. Litland.com age recommendation 10-14. See full review at http://www.litland.com/

Publisher description: Time drags by for Winnie Foster, an eleven-year-old girl who lives in a house bordering the woods owned by her family. Winnie spends her summer days under the watchful eye of her grandmother. Most of the time it's too hot to be out in the sun, and when Winnie does actually venture outside, she never goes beyond the fence of the yard. But one morning she sneaks away into the woods and there she sees a young man drinking from a mysterious spring of water he uncovers at the base of tree. The young man, Jesse Tuck, discovers Winnie watching him. So he kidnaps her.


Our thoughts:


This is a fabulous story. Mae and Angus Tuck, along with sons Miles and Jesse, have a problem; they accidentally became immortal. But they don’t want to be. Angus Tuck dreams of what it is like to go to Heaven, and teaches Winnie about the wheel of life which his family has “stepped off”. While at first the Tucks may seem to be the ‘bad guys” as they kidnap Winnie, we see the truly bad person is the man in the yellow jacket who manipulates people and information to paint a false picture of the situation. Then using this to his advantage, he coerces the Fosters into making a decisions to give up part of their local legacy. The author goes beyond just the unjust act itself (manipulation of the Fosters) to letting us know its true consequences: chipping away at the family heritage.

There is a scene near the end where Mae Tuck shoots the man in the yellow jacket. Rather than unnecessary detail of the shot’s physical impact, Babbitt stays focused on the meaning and consequences of the action itself. In doing so, she strengthens the moment rather than depleting it.

Her writing style is rich with nary a word wasted. The reader is left feeling love and care for all of the earth’s creatures, compassion for the Tucks, and respect for others who don’t understand but are well meaning. We can picture in our minds the toad, the heat wave, early morning fishing, and the heaving of the galloping horse.

This is also a story of a girl coming of age in 1880. A time in history when children were still allowed to be children and, yet, once a teen they take on adult responsibilities quickly. For the first time, Winnie has her own life experiences that are not shared by her family, and so she is learning how to deal with that feeling of loving and hating independence at the same time; having a secret you can’t share with those who love you even though it isn’t a bad secret; having to use adult wisdom at a young age. It is an interesting way to look at childhood, that of having shared experiences contrasted with those that a person experiences independent from their family, and the reader can feel the confused emotions thanks to the author’s excellent work. When with the Tucks, Winnie enjoyed having them as her own friends that she didn’t share with her family. Now that they needed help, it was an uncertain state of mind in which to be.

All of this is held within the context of the Tuck’s view of themselves. Although voiced by son Miles, it is clear the entire family sees that they should make a difference in the world. The domino and ripple effects of the actions by one single person are known and felt. Winnie chooses to make a difference in the world. She realizes she must make small mistakes to accomplish the larger mission of protecting the world from the curse held in the spring’s water. As in the old poem quoted in the book:

“Stone walls do not a prison make,

Nor iron bars a cage.”

There are other kinds of prisons in life, and the Tucks were living in one until the end of time.  

This is an excellent book for families to read together. It is appropriate for all ages, although of most interest to readers in 5th-8th grades. Choosing this story for your family reading hour or book club will give you much to talk through, and grow together as a family. It would also be an excellent teacher choice for in-class reading. In either the home or school settings, this book would be useful in an integrated curriculum using literature to learn about American history in the 19th century. Talking about books such as Tuck Everlasting is an important part of understanding and growing in our own value system, while also giving concrete examples for good behaviour to emulate. We cannot say enough about this great book!

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightening Thief (the movie)

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief (the movie) (Released February 12, 2010)

Litland.com recommends for teenagers and adults. It lightly deals with issues of single parenting, abusive and absentee parents. Sexual humour is threaded throughout. The characters are drugged in a scene which visually portrays the essence of being high and enjoying it.

While Litland.com is not in the habit of reviewing movies (check out www.pluggedinonline if you want a movie review), we are planning to upload the review for this book soon and thought viewing the movie on its premier night would be a fun introduction to the series.


What can we say; it is Greek mythology after all! So parents who had the privilege of a traditional education reading the classics should recall all of the issues that could be dealt with in any story based upon Greek myths. Starting to get worried about whether the content is appropriate for your kids? Don’t! At least don’t worry about the older kids. For the most part, the movie presents only that information from the myths that is necessary to understand their society, the Gods and the hierarchy. The wealth of accurate mythological detail in the movie is amazing and makes it fun to guess what may be coming next. But it’s not squeaky clean... don’t be surprised at the sexual connotations throughout, beginning early on with the daughters of Aphrodite in bikinis inviting the boys to their party. Grover the Satyr is lady crazy and, when the threesome lands in Las Vegas, he is surrounded by women pawing at him and planning to marry him. The Las Vegas scenes include some cleavage-revealing dresses but only one film shot up close. And Persephone in the Underworld (hell) makes very clear what she intends to do with Grover.


In the book, the main character Percy is a 12 year old boy. In the movie, the main characters appear to be much older teens and Grover chases women, not girls. This film very clearly deals with older teen/young adult issues, not those of middle school boys.


We may have missed it, but only caught two uses of profanity (a--) and a sexual reference early on (the Gods came down to earth to “hook up” with mortals). Visually, a few of the scenes are pretty intense and the sword or knife fights show cutting of skin and bleeding. But it is primarily the sexuality of the film that renders it inappropriate for elementary and middle school children. The Las Vegas scene went on for too long. It begins with the three main characters being drugged and experiencing being high in a way that appealing to the senses. Although the characters eventually figure out why it is happening and escape, there is no moral lesson learned from the incident. It then proceeds into campy Vegas action of women who, although clothed, are intended to be sexual objects. Grover begins to act more like a rap artist chasing the ladies, and later ladies are all over him. It is as if they took adult content and attempted to down-age it by eliminating most (not all) close-up views of body parts and using tween-friendly vibrant colors for the set. Nothing about this scene fit in with the rest of the movie.

A new look at single mom’s and absentee dads. The movie’s setting portrays Percy and his mother living with a drunken, unemployed and abusive stepfather. Percy does not understand why his mother remains with the man but the reason is made known to us early on (and is another example of the humour woven throughout!). He holds resentment for his father abandoning them. Later, we meet Luke who holds much more resentment towards his own father, instructing Percy to “kick his a—“ if he sees him. While in the beginning, it may look like a diss-the-dad film, don’t let this fool you. Pay attention to how Poseidon is watching over Percy throughout, longing to be with his son but unable to for reasons beyond his control. It is also clear that Percy’s mother and father loved each other very much. Which leads to the very strong relationship between Percy and his mother.

The movie’s storyline and dialogue emphasizes the classic virtues, loyalty to family and friends, civic duty, honesty, and self-discipline. It is very funny throughout too. All aspects of the production quality are excellent and the action is fast-paced. And so, with the exception of the Las Vegas scene and the sexual connotations that pop up elsewhere, it demonstrates good character and was very enjoyable.

Interestingly, we sat between three boys of about 9-10 years in age, and two older teenage girls. Most of the audience were families or tween/teen children, although some younger children did attend. The boys did not laugh or respond during the entire film, while the rest of the audience (including those two teen girls next to us) clearly enjoyed it immensely. Let’s face it; the boys probably didn’t know enough about the Greek myths to enjoy it, and were too young to enjoy the humour too. So if your elementary or middle school children want your money to see this movie, keep them at home and rent them the DVD for Inkheart instead. Send your teens to the theatre to see this movie.


And tell them not to leave the theatre until after the credits, or they will miss the surprise ending!

Philosopher's corner: obligation to kindness

A man in an old red car is legally parked on the street side of a curb. The other side of the curb is the parking lot to our Haggen’s grocery storey. An extremely long tractor-trailer pulled into the parking lot, attempting to deliver its products to the store. Unable to make the narrow turn to exit, the trailer and semi-tractor were stuck in the lot, parallel to the red car.


The truck driver and two customers worked together to permit room for their vehicles to leave. However, the trailer still risked hitting the red car in an attempt to exit. The driver even got out of his cab to take in the amount of space available to him, then returned to try again. Although masterfully inching it this way and that, the tractor-trailer could not back out of the lot with the red car in its way.

The driver of the red car sat in it with a big grin. A customer walked over to him and spoke for a moment, then left. The driver remained in his car, refusing to move it out of the way. Parked legally on the street, he had a right to be there. Meanwhile, the truck driver who has made every attempt possible to cooperate with customers and get his rig out of the way, is still stuck.

The driver of the red car, full of himself in his own mental power trip, beamed in delight.

At what point does a person’s rights or entitlement supercede the right of another person to be treated with kindness and understanding? At what point does one’s rights or entitlement absolve them from any responsibility of kindness towards another human being? The answer to both questions is NEVER!

The founders of our great nation created a government that recognized the equality of all human beings. It did not say all rights were equal, however. There is a natural structure, a priority of lesser and greater rights, and lesser and greater wrongs.

As a member of society, we have an inherent obligation of kindness and civility towards one another. These are the fabric of society’s tapestry and, without them, it unravels. Important lessons for our children and students to learn now as they are formed to be responsible citizens of good character.