William Paul Young's book,
The Shack,
tells the tale of Mackenzie Philips's struggle to cope with the brutal
kidnapping of his youngest daughter by a suspected serial murderer while on a
family camping trip. Mack's oldest daughter is now falling into a darker image of her former loving self, even as Mack and his wife try hard to bury her in their love. Mack
has also fallen into his own whirlpool of emotions he has termed, “The Great
Sadness", pulling himself away from work, his own family, and his faith.
Only his wife, Nan, seems to have been able to hold onto herself and her
family, leaning on her own inner strength, her family, and her belief in, Papa,
her name for God.
Mack mysteriously receives a note from, Papa, inviting him back up to the
Shack in the mountains where evidence of his daughter's last fearful moments
were discovered the day she disappeared. At the Shack, Mack meets the three
bodies of God among other holy spirits. They each reveal themselves in unique
forms; God as a very wise African woman, Jesus looks very similar to Mack's interpretation
of Jesus from his school days, and The Holy Spirit is in the form of a
beautiful woman, but she radiates an aura of color and light that makes her
difficult for Mack to see.
The experience reminds me of the three ghosts that visit Ebenezer Scrooge.
During Mack's visit each deity attempts to help Mack not only find his faith,
but come to grips with The Great Sadness that will eventually allow him to save
himself and his daughter, and forgive the killer for tearing his life apart.
I wasn't sure if I should blog on this book. Most of my audience will be
sixth graders. The book is entirely about God and faith. The premise of the
story, and the perspective of the author is what really intrigued me. This book
made me reflect more than a lot of books I have ever read, and that is why I
needed to blog. Many of my students have a hard time thinking deeper than the
literal facts of the story they are reading. I want them to know that sometimes
you will come across a book that, not only will make you reflect throughout the reading,
but will stick with you for some time after you're done. How can you not share
a book like that?
William Paul Young's book, The Shack,
tells the tale of Mackenzie Philips's struggle to cope with the brutal
kidnapping of his youngest daughter by a suspected serial murderer while on a
family camping trip. Mack's oldest daughter is now falling into a darker image of her former loving self, even as Mack and his wife try hard to bury her in their love. Mack
has also fallen into his own whirlpool of emotions he has termed, “The Great
Sadness", pulling himself away from work, his own family, and his faith.
Only his wife, Nan, seems to have been able to hold onto herself and her
family, leaning on her own inner strength, her family, and her belief in, Papa,
her name for God. 
Kill Order by James Dashner is the book that is supposed to tell us the connection of Thomas to WICKED and the deadly trials he had to survive. I'm not usually excited to get caught up in a book series. I know I'm not the only one. This strategy by Dashner has taken me by surprise. There are a lot of unanwered questions about WICKED and how the world has turned out in such horrible condition. I should have expected this. My kids have already pre-ordered the book and challenged me to see who will read it first. I have my bookmark ready. How about you?
Everlost by Neal Shusterman is a science fiction story about what might happen to children if they get lost on their way to heaven. Nick and Allie are involved in a very serious car accident in which they probably weren't supposed to survive. On their way to the light at the end of the tunnel, they happen to bump into each other and end up off course. They end up in a dead spot along the highway where the accident occurred. There they meet Lief, an afterlife who helps the kids adjust to their new surroundings. The kids must travel to New York, at the sight of the World Trade Center, where many afterlives have made themselves at home, because of their leader, Mary. 
The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, and The Death Cure by James Dashner is the latest best selling trilogy. This is another science fiction scenario where the author gives a very grim interpretation as to how civilization will take care of itself when our government fails to do so. 
A deadly virus called the Scorch has taken over the world. Only the most wealthy governments are able to withstand the spread of the deadly disease that turns it's victims into flesh eating zombies. An organization called WICKED has collected as many immune kids as they can, and put them through a grueling series of tests in order see which individuals will survive, and may hold the key to cure the remaining uninfected population.
