tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836232158588777465.post5162145451424561686..comments2024-01-11T08:30:37.064-05:00Comments on Strong Words That Matter, by Beth Kanell: Returning to Philip Pullman's THE BOOK OF DUST, Thinking about "Young Adult"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836232158588777465.post-90547256806125584122021-05-26T21:21:25.990-04:002021-05-26T21:21:25.990-04:00Donley, reading your thoughts in this comment mean...Donley, reading your thoughts in this comment means a lot to me. The only way writers can tell whether they are really providing what readers want is when readers tell them -- and you are telling me, and Philip Pullman, to keep going and set those examples, fictional and real, of standing up for what we believe. I wish you good allies on your journey forward. -- BethBeth Kanellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08108922407270772577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6836232158588777465.post-7696760489295418562021-05-25T21:23:35.530-04:002021-05-25T21:23:35.530-04:00I read this book about a year ago now, and it was ...I read this book about a year ago now, and it was a very good read for me. It was one of the most mature novels I have read thus far in my 12 years of life, but the plotline, author's devices and exceptional storytelling skills like the inclusion of random but essential characters all combined to make this an incredible book. I very much enjoyed how the main character wonders how two branches of the same tree- the priory across the river from his house and the Consistorial Court of Discipline- can be so similar and yet support vastly different perspectives. As a sort of prequel to His Dark Materials, La Belle Sauvage did not exactly fill in gaps- the original series did not leave many, if any- but it did a very good job of explaining more about the background of one of the characters who is the source of the main conflict in La Belle Sauvage. <br />Anyway, this book did have more mature moments and was darker than many of the other books I have read, ever, but it was also a real delight. When I read it, and when I think about times in history and the present when groups have been oppressed in favor of the "right" people, I think mainly about how it is important to be brave and to stand up for what you believe in, openly or secretly. Of course, I do not think that people as young as Malcolm should put themselves in the situations Malcolm finds himself in- and Malcolm finds himself in some conflicts that would leave anyone scarred for life- but I think it is important to realize that any resistance against an out of order majority is quite possibly the only way to achieve change. It has happened time and time again throughout history. In addition, I think that as young people it is important to read about these topics- not so that we can put ourselves in the shoes of the character, but to remind ourselves both that the majority is not always correct and that we must stand up for what we believe, SAFELY.<br />Thanks for reading this,<br />Donley Johnson, age 12 (Not Abby or Carl Johnson).Carl and Abbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09502272669949987456noreply@blogger.com