Today, I am not going to review a particular book. What I want to do in today's post is to recommend to you some of the poets whose work I have enjoyed over the years.
When I first started exploring the creative side of my life, I started writing poetry. In my work as a writer, poetry is one of my main pursuits. I've been privileged to have many poems published in literary journals.
Part of being a writer and poet is reading the works of other writers and poets. Here are just of few of the poets whose work has influenced me and whose work I enjoy reading.
During the time of the English Civil War, there was a group of poets known as the Cavalier Poets. They supported Charles I during the war and his son Charles II during the restoration. Their poetry is very beautiful and easy to read and understand. Robert Herrick, Thomas Carew and Richard Lovelace are my favorites in this group.
Without a doubt in my mind, William Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language. His sonnets are worth reading over and over again.
George Herbert was a pastor of a small church in rural England. His poetry is very well done. His religious verse is especially moving.
Two other British poets whose work I admire, and whom I've studied a great deal are William Blake and William Wordsworth. Blake's poem about the tiger is among my very favorite.
Among early American poets, William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allan Poe are excellent. I especially like Poe. His poems have a great rhythm to them. "The Bells" and "El Dorado" are my favorites along with "The Raven". Poe was also a master of the short story.
Moving on to more contemporary times, William Carlos Williams, Carl Sandburg and Robert Frost are three poets whose work I have read extensively. Williams has the ability to express a lot in short passages.
Robinson Jeffers wrote extensively on environmental themes. I had the privilege to write an article about his work and the home he built near the Pacific Ocean.
As I have stated on the blog previously, Mary Oliver is my favorite poet of current times. When she releases a new volume of poems, I purchase it immediately. She has been a great influence on my work.
Finally, I would like to recommend the work of Juan Ramon Jimenez. Jimenez won the Nobel prize for literature. He is best known for his work "Platero and I." This is a prose poem work that contains wonderfully descriptive language and deep emotions. I have read it again and again.
These are just a very few of the poets whose work I enjoy. In some later blog posts, I will write more about some of the other poets whose work I like.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Monday, February 1, 2016
Verses For the Week
Here are two more verses to memorize.
Matthew 5:3 -- "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Matthew 5:3 -- "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Romans 8:1 -- "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."
Friday, January 29, 2016
Weekend Sermon -- Apostles' Creed -- "Creator of Heaven and Earth"
It is good to be with you for another edition of the Weekend Sermon. I hope that everyone is enjoying good health and doing well.
I am feeling a little better this week. Thank you for all of your prayers. The book is going well. I am now on the second draft of the manuscript. I have also completed several other writing projects over the last few weeks.
As many of you know, I have been trying to get my house sold. There has been some delay in this because it is not in very good shape. This week, one of my uncle's offered to help me get things at the house fixed in good enough shape to sell. This is a real answer to prayer.
As you go to prayer this week, let us all pray about the situation with diseases around the world. The news about the zika virus is very disturbing. Let us pray that this will dissipate. Let us pray that many of the sicknesses which plague man and animals will be able to be eradicated. Always, pray for peace in our troubled world.
Finally in the area of prayer, remember to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus' love around the world. With that in mind, please pray for the nations of Yemen, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Thailand.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the Apostles' Creed. We are examining the Creed section by section in order to more fully understand what it is saying about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as well as other important doctrines of the faith.
Today, we will examine the phrase, "Creator of Heaven and Earth." God is the creator of Heaven and Earth. The Bible makes it quite clear in Genesis 1:1 which says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth." This seems to be a straightforward enough statement, but the issue of creation is a hotbed of controversy both inside and outside the church.
In the church today, there are many divisions over the doctrine of creation. I want to go over a few of the ideas that are out there, and then I will tell you what I believe and why.
The predominate belief of the secular scientific community that is also becoming very prominent in the church is the theory of evolution. Many believe that all life evolved on earth from a simple organism to greater levels of complexity. In a religious vein, many theologians believe in theistic evolution, These theologians state that God is the source of the Big Bang, and now God is guiding the evolutionary process.
Others in the church believe in what is known as the Gap Theory. This believe states that there is a long gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. In this time, there was a pre-adamic creation that would include dinosaurs etc. According to this theory, the old world was destroyed when Satan rebelled against God. At that point, God re-created the earth in its present form.
Another belief is in creation as recorded in the Bible. God literally created the universe in six literal days and rested on the seventh day. There is not evolutionary process.
That is just a very brief overview of a few of the positions about God and creation. People have filled volumes discussing this topic.
Now, I am going to state what I believe about the matter. I believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth. I do not know how long this process took. One thing that is important to state is that the Bible is quite clear that there was no death before the sin of Adam. Paul discusses this clearly in Romans 5:12-21. Death was introduced into the world as a result of sin. Those who believe in the Gap theory would believe that there was death in the pre-adamic world as a result of their sin, but there was no death in the re-creation before Adam's sin. This statement by Paul would also show the problem with theistic evolution. I Corinthians 15:26 says that death is God's enemy, and it is the last enemy that will be totally defeated.
I believe that God created the heavens and the earth. I believe that God created this world out of nothing. By the word of His mouth, He spoke all things into existence. I believe in a literal Adam and Eve. When Adam sinned, death came into this world and brought a change in this world of cataclysmic proportions.
When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God placed a curse upon the Earth. That is the reason why everything is so messed up in this world. God never intended there to be predation in the natural world. He never intended there to be diseases and germs and storms which kill hundreds of people. Sin and the curse of sin marred God's original creation.
Because the original creation has changed, we have an evolutionary process that has developed that is based on natural selection. However, this was not the way things were originally intended to be.
When Jesus returns, everything in all of creation will be restored to the was that it existed at the original creation. When Jesus establishes His rule and reign on the earth, the curse that is now on the earth will be lifted. This is clearly stated in Revelation 22:3.
Whatever someone believes about creation, the most important thing to remember is that a powerful and Almighty God made this world. Even though we see a world marred by sin, the hand of God is clearly on display in this universe. I don't know how anyone can look at the marvels of creation and not see the power of God.
I have always loved astronomy. I was able to study astronomy in college a little, and I have my own telescope. When I look at the stars and planets in the night sky, I am in awe that a powerful God created all that is in the heavens. When I see dogs running at play or hear the wolf's howl, I know that there is a mighty God.
What leaves me in the most awe and wonder is the fact that the God who is the creator of all the universe cares about me. God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross to take away my sins. God wants to have a relationship with me. He cares about my problems, and He wants to communicate with me in prayer. God cares about you and loves you as well. Whosoever will may come to the Father through Jesus Christ the Son.
One day, all that sin has destroyed will be made right. I long for that day, and pray each day that Jesus Christ will come quickly to make all things new and perfect once again just as they were at the original creation.
Next week, we will have two new verses to learn on Monday. I don't think that I will have a review on Wednesday as I am backed up in my reading. I may have a review, but it is doubtful. Next Friday, we will begin looking at what the Apostles' Creed teaches about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you all. Amen.
I am feeling a little better this week. Thank you for all of your prayers. The book is going well. I am now on the second draft of the manuscript. I have also completed several other writing projects over the last few weeks.
As many of you know, I have been trying to get my house sold. There has been some delay in this because it is not in very good shape. This week, one of my uncle's offered to help me get things at the house fixed in good enough shape to sell. This is a real answer to prayer.
As you go to prayer this week, let us all pray about the situation with diseases around the world. The news about the zika virus is very disturbing. Let us pray that this will dissipate. Let us pray that many of the sicknesses which plague man and animals will be able to be eradicated. Always, pray for peace in our troubled world.
Finally in the area of prayer, remember to pray for the spread of the message of Jesus' love around the world. With that in mind, please pray for the nations of Yemen, Qatar, Azerbaijan and Thailand.
For the past few weeks, we have been in a series of messages on the Apostles' Creed. We are examining the Creed section by section in order to more fully understand what it is saying about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as well as other important doctrines of the faith.
Today, we will examine the phrase, "Creator of Heaven and Earth." God is the creator of Heaven and Earth. The Bible makes it quite clear in Genesis 1:1 which says, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth." This seems to be a straightforward enough statement, but the issue of creation is a hotbed of controversy both inside and outside the church.
In the church today, there are many divisions over the doctrine of creation. I want to go over a few of the ideas that are out there, and then I will tell you what I believe and why.
The predominate belief of the secular scientific community that is also becoming very prominent in the church is the theory of evolution. Many believe that all life evolved on earth from a simple organism to greater levels of complexity. In a religious vein, many theologians believe in theistic evolution, These theologians state that God is the source of the Big Bang, and now God is guiding the evolutionary process.
Others in the church believe in what is known as the Gap Theory. This believe states that there is a long gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. In this time, there was a pre-adamic creation that would include dinosaurs etc. According to this theory, the old world was destroyed when Satan rebelled against God. At that point, God re-created the earth in its present form.
Another belief is in creation as recorded in the Bible. God literally created the universe in six literal days and rested on the seventh day. There is not evolutionary process.
That is just a very brief overview of a few of the positions about God and creation. People have filled volumes discussing this topic.
Now, I am going to state what I believe about the matter. I believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth. I do not know how long this process took. One thing that is important to state is that the Bible is quite clear that there was no death before the sin of Adam. Paul discusses this clearly in Romans 5:12-21. Death was introduced into the world as a result of sin. Those who believe in the Gap theory would believe that there was death in the pre-adamic world as a result of their sin, but there was no death in the re-creation before Adam's sin. This statement by Paul would also show the problem with theistic evolution. I Corinthians 15:26 says that death is God's enemy, and it is the last enemy that will be totally defeated.
I believe that God created the heavens and the earth. I believe that God created this world out of nothing. By the word of His mouth, He spoke all things into existence. I believe in a literal Adam and Eve. When Adam sinned, death came into this world and brought a change in this world of cataclysmic proportions.
When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God placed a curse upon the Earth. That is the reason why everything is so messed up in this world. God never intended there to be predation in the natural world. He never intended there to be diseases and germs and storms which kill hundreds of people. Sin and the curse of sin marred God's original creation.
Because the original creation has changed, we have an evolutionary process that has developed that is based on natural selection. However, this was not the way things were originally intended to be.
When Jesus returns, everything in all of creation will be restored to the was that it existed at the original creation. When Jesus establishes His rule and reign on the earth, the curse that is now on the earth will be lifted. This is clearly stated in Revelation 22:3.
Whatever someone believes about creation, the most important thing to remember is that a powerful and Almighty God made this world. Even though we see a world marred by sin, the hand of God is clearly on display in this universe. I don't know how anyone can look at the marvels of creation and not see the power of God.
I have always loved astronomy. I was able to study astronomy in college a little, and I have my own telescope. When I look at the stars and planets in the night sky, I am in awe that a powerful God created all that is in the heavens. When I see dogs running at play or hear the wolf's howl, I know that there is a mighty God.
What leaves me in the most awe and wonder is the fact that the God who is the creator of all the universe cares about me. God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross to take away my sins. God wants to have a relationship with me. He cares about my problems, and He wants to communicate with me in prayer. God cares about you and loves you as well. Whosoever will may come to the Father through Jesus Christ the Son.
One day, all that sin has destroyed will be made right. I long for that day, and pray each day that Jesus Christ will come quickly to make all things new and perfect once again just as they were at the original creation.
Next week, we will have two new verses to learn on Monday. I don't think that I will have a review on Wednesday as I am backed up in my reading. I may have a review, but it is doubtful. Next Friday, we will begin looking at what the Apostles' Creed teaches about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Book Review -- "The Penguin Lessons"
The book that I am reviewing today is one of the best books that I've read in a long time. "The Penguin Lessons" by Tom Michell is an animal, adventure and travel story all rolled into one.
Tom Michell was a young man from England who wanted to experience the world. With that thought in mind, he took a teaching job at a prestigious boarding school in Argentina in the mid 1970s. One day while Tom was visiting Uruguay, he found a colony of dead penguins on the beach where he was walking. The penguins had been caught in an oil spill and washed up on the shore. But something caught Tom's eye. One penguin was still alive. At that moment, Tom made a decision that changed his life.
Tom rescued the penguin and cleaned all of the oil off of him. He then transported the penguin back to the bordering school where Tom made a home for the penguin he named Juan Salvador.
In this book, Tom tells many interesting stories of the joy that Juan the penguin brought to his life and to the staff and students at the boarding school.
Besides the interesting account about Juan Salvador, Tom tells about a motorcycle trip he took to find a penguin colony for Juan Salvador. There are also some great insights into how people lived in Argentina and South America in the 70s.
I highly recommend this book. It demonstrates how one act of kindness can make a world of difference.
Tom Michell was a young man from England who wanted to experience the world. With that thought in mind, he took a teaching job at a prestigious boarding school in Argentina in the mid 1970s. One day while Tom was visiting Uruguay, he found a colony of dead penguins on the beach where he was walking. The penguins had been caught in an oil spill and washed up on the shore. But something caught Tom's eye. One penguin was still alive. At that moment, Tom made a decision that changed his life.
Tom rescued the penguin and cleaned all of the oil off of him. He then transported the penguin back to the bordering school where Tom made a home for the penguin he named Juan Salvador.
In this book, Tom tells many interesting stories of the joy that Juan the penguin brought to his life and to the staff and students at the boarding school.
Besides the interesting account about Juan Salvador, Tom tells about a motorcycle trip he took to find a penguin colony for Juan Salvador. There are also some great insights into how people lived in Argentina and South America in the 70s.
I highly recommend this book. It demonstrates how one act of kindness can make a world of difference.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Verses For the Week
Here are this week's memory verses. I hope that you have been able to memorize the previous verses.
Micah 6:8 -- "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
I John 5:3 -- "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Micah 6:8 -- "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
I John 5:3 -- "For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Friday, January 22, 2016
Weekend Sermon -- Apostles Creed -- "Father"
Welcome to the new edition of the Weekend Sermon. I thank you all for joining me again this week. I hope everyone is having a really good day.
There has been a lot of bad weather in my part of the country this week. It has been cold, snowy and there has been a lot of freezing drizzle. Thankfully, the road crews have kept the highways in good condition.
I haven't been feeling very well this week. Would you please pray for my health? Also, since around Thanksgiving, I've been feeling somewhat depressed. Please pray that I will start to feel better in this way as well.
In prayer this week, let us focus our prayers on the bad storm that is set to hit the eastern part of the United States. Some places are predicted to receive two feet of snow. Please pray that everyone will be safe. Let us also pray for those suffering from disease and hardship around the world. Pray for peace in the war torn areas of this planet.
We have been praying each week for those countries where the number of Christians is small. Let us pray that the message of Jesus will reach Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Japan.
Last week, we began our new series of messages about the Apostles' Creed. We examined the statement "I believe in God." We just barely scratched the surface of who God is and what it means to believe in Him.
Today, we will continue examining what the Creed has to say about the first person of the Trinity by looking at the phrase that says God is "the Father."
One of the main ways that God reveals Himself in the Bible is as our Father. This is found in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, we see that God refers to Himself as a Father to His people, and He refers to His people as His children. Isaiah 64:8 states, "But now, O Lord, Thou are our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter: and we are the work of Thy hand. I Chronicles 29:10 and Jeremiah 3:19 are just two to the many Old Testament verses that express the fact that God is our Father.
The New Testament gives even fuller expression to the fact that God is Father. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus says that we are to address our prayers to "Our Father which art in Heaven."
Let me just stop here for a moment and speak about the two ways in which God is Father. First of all, God is Father because He is the one who created, and He is the one who sustains the universe. In this sense, God is Father of the universe. He is the one who oversees all that is. He makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Nothing in the universe would exist without the preserving power of God.
There is another way in which God is Father, and that is much more personal. God is the Father of those who believe in His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ. When we come to faith in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible says it this way in Romans 8;15, "The Spirit that you received brought about your adoption to sonship, and by him we cry, Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6 says it like this, "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father."
Because Jesus lives in our heart, His Father becomes our Father because we are adopted into the family of God. I think that Hebrews 2:11 in the New Living Translation makes it very clear, "So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters." Those who have a personal relationship with Jesus have God as Father in a personal way.
So, what does it mean that God is our Father. It means several things. To begin with, it means that we are part of the family of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Those who have a father receive an inheritance from the father. There are benefits from being part of a family.
Since God is our Father, we our identified as belonging to Him. We have received an inheritance which is eternal life and an intimate relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Also, one of the aspects of being a good father is to provide for one's family. God our Father has provided everything that pertains to life and Godliness. Jesus said that our Father knows all that we need. God our Father provides for us those things that are best for us. Ultimately, the Father sent His Son into the world to provide salvation for all who would believe.
Another responsibility of a Father is to keep His children safe. The Father keeps us secure. The Bible gives a great picture of how secure we are in John 10:28-29 where Jesus says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." In other words, we are very secure for all eternity. We are safe in the hands of Jesus, and the Father has His hands wrapped around Jesus' hands. On top of all that, we are sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption. When we realize this, we need not fear what any person can do to us.
Father's love their children, and we are greatly loved by our Heavenly Father. He has given us His Son, and He has given us the indwelling power of the Spirit. He has made us part of His family.
Father's also provide discipline and instruction. This should not be seen in a negative way as if God is out to punish us for all that we do wrong. God leads us along showing us by His tender mercies the way that we should follow.
Once again, I have just been able to scratch the surface of who God is and what He has done and is doing. I urge you to really study the doctrine of God.
You can know God as your Heavenly Father. The Father sent His Son the Lord Jesus into this world to die on the cross for our sins. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus provides a way to the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. All that come to the Father must come through Jesus. Ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life today, and you will know what it truly is to say that God is your Father.
Next week, we will finish the first section of the creed by reflecting on the fact that God the Father is creator of Heaven and Earth. On Monday, we will have more verses to memorize. I will have a review of a good book that I am currently reading on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
There has been a lot of bad weather in my part of the country this week. It has been cold, snowy and there has been a lot of freezing drizzle. Thankfully, the road crews have kept the highways in good condition.
I haven't been feeling very well this week. Would you please pray for my health? Also, since around Thanksgiving, I've been feeling somewhat depressed. Please pray that I will start to feel better in this way as well.
In prayer this week, let us focus our prayers on the bad storm that is set to hit the eastern part of the United States. Some places are predicted to receive two feet of snow. Please pray that everyone will be safe. Let us also pray for those suffering from disease and hardship around the world. Pray for peace in the war torn areas of this planet.
We have been praying each week for those countries where the number of Christians is small. Let us pray that the message of Jesus will reach Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Japan.
Last week, we began our new series of messages about the Apostles' Creed. We examined the statement "I believe in God." We just barely scratched the surface of who God is and what it means to believe in Him.
Today, we will continue examining what the Creed has to say about the first person of the Trinity by looking at the phrase that says God is "the Father."
One of the main ways that God reveals Himself in the Bible is as our Father. This is found in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, we see that God refers to Himself as a Father to His people, and He refers to His people as His children. Isaiah 64:8 states, "But now, O Lord, Thou are our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter: and we are the work of Thy hand. I Chronicles 29:10 and Jeremiah 3:19 are just two to the many Old Testament verses that express the fact that God is our Father.
The New Testament gives even fuller expression to the fact that God is Father. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus says that we are to address our prayers to "Our Father which art in Heaven."
Let me just stop here for a moment and speak about the two ways in which God is Father. First of all, God is Father because He is the one who created, and He is the one who sustains the universe. In this sense, God is Father of the universe. He is the one who oversees all that is. He makes the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Nothing in the universe would exist without the preserving power of God.
There is another way in which God is Father, and that is much more personal. God is the Father of those who believe in His only begotten Son the Lord Jesus Christ. When we come to faith in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit. The Bible says it this way in Romans 8;15, "The Spirit that you received brought about your adoption to sonship, and by him we cry, Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6 says it like this, "Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, the Spirit who calls out, Abba, Father."
Because Jesus lives in our heart, His Father becomes our Father because we are adopted into the family of God. I think that Hebrews 2:11 in the New Living Translation makes it very clear, "So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters." Those who have a personal relationship with Jesus have God as Father in a personal way.
So, what does it mean that God is our Father. It means several things. To begin with, it means that we are part of the family of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Those who have a father receive an inheritance from the father. There are benefits from being part of a family.
Since God is our Father, we our identified as belonging to Him. We have received an inheritance which is eternal life and an intimate relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Also, one of the aspects of being a good father is to provide for one's family. God our Father has provided everything that pertains to life and Godliness. Jesus said that our Father knows all that we need. God our Father provides for us those things that are best for us. Ultimately, the Father sent His Son into the world to provide salvation for all who would believe.
Another responsibility of a Father is to keep His children safe. The Father keeps us secure. The Bible gives a great picture of how secure we are in John 10:28-29 where Jesus says, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." In other words, we are very secure for all eternity. We are safe in the hands of Jesus, and the Father has His hands wrapped around Jesus' hands. On top of all that, we are sealed by the Spirit unto the day of redemption. When we realize this, we need not fear what any person can do to us.
Father's love their children, and we are greatly loved by our Heavenly Father. He has given us His Son, and He has given us the indwelling power of the Spirit. He has made us part of His family.
Father's also provide discipline and instruction. This should not be seen in a negative way as if God is out to punish us for all that we do wrong. God leads us along showing us by His tender mercies the way that we should follow.
Once again, I have just been able to scratch the surface of who God is and what He has done and is doing. I urge you to really study the doctrine of God.
You can know God as your Heavenly Father. The Father sent His Son the Lord Jesus into this world to die on the cross for our sins. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus provides a way to the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. All that come to the Father must come through Jesus. Ask Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of your life today, and you will know what it truly is to say that God is your Father.
Next week, we will finish the first section of the creed by reflecting on the fact that God the Father is creator of Heaven and Earth. On Monday, we will have more verses to memorize. I will have a review of a good book that I am currently reading on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Book Review-- "Crenshaw"
Today, I am reviewing a book for younger readers. "Crenshaw" written by Katherine Applegate is the story of a young boy who has an imaginary cat who is quite large. When the boy was young, he had this imaginary friend, but as the boy grew older, the cat became part of the past. Now, the boy and his family are facing homelessness, and Crenshaw the cat has reappeares to offer his advice about the situation.
I am going to give a mixed review on this book. First of all, this book was not as good as I hoped that it would be. The writing seemed flat at times, and the cat wasn't as much a part of the book as I thought he would be.
With that said, the book does deal with an important theme. Homelessness is problem throughout society. I know from firsthand experience that you can be going along thinking you have enough money, and then a financial problem hits and your wiped out. I was not homeless, but it was a close run thing. The family in this book have to live in their car for awhile. It is hard to have a family and be reduced to these circumstances.
"Crenshaw" deals with an important theme and is worth reading for that. However, I think that it could have been a lot better book.
I am going to give a mixed review on this book. First of all, this book was not as good as I hoped that it would be. The writing seemed flat at times, and the cat wasn't as much a part of the book as I thought he would be.
With that said, the book does deal with an important theme. Homelessness is problem throughout society. I know from firsthand experience that you can be going along thinking you have enough money, and then a financial problem hits and your wiped out. I was not homeless, but it was a close run thing. The family in this book have to live in their car for awhile. It is hard to have a family and be reduced to these circumstances.
"Crenshaw" deals with an important theme and is worth reading for that. However, I think that it could have been a lot better book.
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