Unsolicited book review: 39 Clues

Search Amazon.com for 39 cluesSo "the big one" and I like to listen to audio books during our morning camp/work commute.  We are in the car usually between 30 and 45 minutes each way in the mornings and afternoons, and although we do get some quality talking in occassionally, we usually just put the CD in and listen.  Besides, neither of us are what you would call "morning persons"...

In March, for our drive to Disney, I picked up the first and second book in a series called "The 39 Clues".   I highly recommend these books.  They are action- and adventure-packed, along with an educational component in a variety of subjects, especially history and geography.   The books follow the adventures of 11 year old Dan and his 14 year old sister, Amy as they travel the world in a large-scale family competition that apparently will lead to world dominance.  We've picked up through Book Five, and I've requested the next few audio books from our library system, as well.   The series is made up of ten books; I think book nine was just released in May.   Each book has been written by a different author, which sometimes makes them a little bit disconnected -- frankly, some of these authors write better juvenile fiction than others!

The series has been criticized for the amount of violence and the "no-redeeming-qualities" of some of the other characters/family members, as well as the product placement (Doritos, anyone?) and merchandizing of the series (with additional "cards" to buy).  The series also has a website where you can enter the cards you have collected and play games related to the series -- all of which we have done, but we were enjoying the books themselves just fine without the website or cards.  The "violence" itself rivals perhaps the Harry Potter series in intensity; the primary characters, like Harry himself, sometimes don't act in ways that appear virtuous either. 

The biggest drawback to the audio books in comparison to the written books is that there are instances when clues/codes/puzzles appear that we can't work out on our own before continuing.  But at the same time, it allows us to share in the "reading" of the book and to progress at the same rate, so we discuss and question things together.  I particularly enjoy experiencing "the big one" engage on some of the history and locations that Dan and Amy visit in their travels. 

Highly recommended for kids 8-12. 

Llama Llama Baseball Drama

There is nothing like youth sports to allow children to learn the fundamentals of a sport, to learn to be part of a team, to learn that they aren't always the best, or the worst, but that their contribution is always important -- from the kid who hits the grand slam, to the one who by just showing up means his team doesn't have to forfeit because they don't have enough players.  I've been around youth sports enough to see the joy it can bring to a child who has no plans to play at the middle school/high school level, and to see the frustration it can cause children who probably have enough talent that "He-Could-Go-All-The-Way"

The thrill of making it home safe!

Unfortunately, youth sports isn't always all about the kids.  It is also a chance for parents to live vicariously through their children's achievements.  (And hey, I do my share of that -- I love to watch my children succeed on the field, court, and ice.)   And I've been the team mom and the coach's wife long enough to hear the complaints of those parents who can't or won't get out there and help coach themselves, but love to do nothing better than criticize those women and men who give up their free time to help little Timmy get a little confidence.   And hey -- how about you parents who sign your kids up for baseball spend a little time in the backyard with them?  Take them to a college or minor league game and SHOW them where first base is?   At least watch a game with them on TV!  (I know you have TV, because little Timmy is in the outfield talking about this afternoon's episode of SpongeBob.)

But I got to see a real low last night, when the UMPIRE, who is supposed to be professional and unbiased, took out his dislike on a certain coach on 11-year-old boys.    This man has to be sixty years old, is a well-known umpire/referee not only in Little League and Youth Hockey but in high school sports, but could not seem to get over his dislike for a certain assistant coach, and made terrible, apparently deliberate calls on the field.   Not saying the team would have won otherwise (because they were getting shelled by other team's bats), but it was demoralizing for boys to slide in at third and be called out, when clearly the 3rd baseman didn't have the tag... or the boy who stole second and was called out on a similar play.  

I guess I'm just saying that grown-ups should save their problem for other grown-ups, and not involve the kids, who for them, it isn't "just a game."   At least it wasn't last night.

Sympathy for the (new) blogger

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a mom of two boys
I'm new to this blogger's world
and am tired of internet noise.

I've read lots of "mom blogs"
but few that speak to me --
thought I'd try it for myself
and see if I can make history.

Pleased to meet you. Hope you are glad you came.

In all seriousness, I am looking to blog to find an outlet for ideas on all sorts of things -- motherhood, yes, but also sports (both children's and otherwise), and strangely enough, history and architectural history. I love old buildings, photography, reading of all kinds, sports, and my kids... so that is what you might find here, should you choose to visit from time to time.