Barbara Robinson (1) (1927–2013)

The Herdmans are terrible trouble makers at their school. They take you on a journey of their shenanigans throughout their day and somehow are able to get out of trouble for what they cause. As you continue to read, you can’t help but wonder what is really under that tough exterior. As a teacher, my students have loved these books and they pair extremely well when talking about our difference and not knowing what is going on behind the scenes in people’s lives. We are all important, we are all special and we all can do amazing things. Love these books and the deep conversations they can bring to a classroom!… (altro)

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has some discussion of stealing, swearing at adults, smoking, taking the Lord’s name in vain. “Dirty books in the basement of the library” “The Herdman’s only talk about s-X and underwear”.

This is a read aloud. You should preview this book and use your discretion.

I’d imagine that though I have not gotten to the other two books in this yet, they will have similar concerns.

These are great books for discussion, as our children do not live in a vacuum but be aware of these concerns so you can decide what is best.… (altro)

This is yet another well-known children’s book that was around when I was a kid, yet I didn’t read. I remember some of my sisters talking about it, though, and since I definitely read a lot back then, I don’t know why I didn’t read it. I picked it up this year because my daughter was looking for a Christmas-themed book to read for school, and I like to read what she does so we can discuss it. It’s a short read, but so very good!

After a chapter describing the antics of the Herdman children so we know how terrible they are, the book gets going with the narrator’s mom having the annual church Christmas pageant fall into her lap. The narrator, by the way, never has a name, which is quite uncommon, at least in my reading experience. As the Herdmans join the pageant and try to get a handle on their parts and motivations behind them, it’s clear that they’ve never been exposed to this (or probably any) biblical account. Though this is not specifically a Christian book, it presents a scenario that can really make you think. The Herdman children’s antics seem to me to be a cry for love and attention, and rather than turning up their noses and wagging their tongues, the people of the church should have taken the opportunity to teach them about God. I appreciate the patience the narrator’s mom has with them (though that did wane sometimes), even if it is only just so she can prove she can put on a great pageant.

I know these kids are fictional, but I found myself left with a profound feeling of hope that someone would take them under their wing and teach them more about Jesus. I suppose that that alone means that Barbara Robinson did a great job with the characters and emotions in the book. If your upper-elementary child, even a little older than that (my daughter is 12) it looking for a good Christmas book this season, consider checking this out. Some parents are concerned about their kids reading about the unpleasant things the Herdman kids do, but they’re definitely shown in a negative light. A conversation after reading to discuss the bullying is probably a good idea anyway. If you’re interested in the book, I say definitely read it (it won’t take long).… (altro)