Since I was a child, I’ve loved language and literature.
I created little songs and read my favourite books over and over. When a new book from a gripping series was released, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
I took double English in year twelve (general English and English Literature) because I was fascinated by the world of language and what it could achieve. I went on as a mature age student to complete a master degree in TESOL, so I could teach English to language learners.
Aas children, the blessing for our mothers was that they could let us loose in the kids section of the public library, or feel comfortable about what we might bring home from the libraries of the public schools we attended.
Those days are gone. We need to accept it. Take a look at the blurbs below from queer books recommended for 9-12 year olds by the National Literacy Trust in the UK. Ironically, the motto for this organization is “Words for Life.” See more of what they are offering over here.
These far out books will never make it into ‘The Wayfinders Book Club,’ by the way.
queer books marketed at children
And the violence! In a different book club, we were recently assigned the book “Impossible Creatures.” We skipped it after the main character, a little girl, faced an attempted murder by a grown man with an axe. Say what??
violent crimes in childrens books
No, we can’t trust what is on school library and bookstore shelves for children anymore. They often hold words of confusion and lies rather than words of life. A big shout out to these authors who make their intentions clear. I can respect that. They are giving me the option to choose.
The most challenging part of the struggle to guard the innocence of our children is the increasingly common tactic authors and publishers use to hide woke and inappropriate elements in their stories. Make no mistake. It’s intentional. It’s deception.
Suddenly, without warning, halfway through a charming chapter book, the main character has two mums. Or, as a friend of mine experienced recently, one of the main characters is declared gay in the very last line of the story. Out of nowhere, that was literally the very last thought her child was supposed to be left with in an otherwise lovely middle grade book.
Not Representation but Indoctrination.
Frankly, it’s not about representation, it’s indoctrination.
Why do I say that?
In my whole life, I have personally met three same-sex couples with children, and heard of one other. The first one moved on to our street when I was in primary school. There were a few comments, and then life went on as usual. Nobody hurt them. I don’t remember any nasty words or behavior directed at these people peacefully dwelling on our street. The other two were work colleagues that I, and everybody else, shared very good relationships with.
The other couple I heard of were temporary tenants living next door to a friend, far away in England. It has nothing to do with representation.
Yet, countless middle-grade books feature a same-sex couple.
Why Add Woke Elements to Your Book Club?
Why do I think ‘The Wayfinders Book Club’ will make a difference for our kids? The goal is to impart discernment through a variety of stories, including those with low key woke themes.
Why not just check every book your child reads in advance and block out anything developmentally inappropriate or woke? Why do you have to mix mildly woke content into your kids’ book club? Isn’t that going to send kids off the right track instead of keeping them in the right way?
If you have an avid reader in your home, you know the struggle. You can’t check them all.
We can no longer pretend that we can shield our children from this content. That is failing to prepare them for the world. That is the conclusion I came to when I was considering how to keep my homeschooled children from social disorientation. I believe books are the key! If you are in a workplace, you know the posters everywhere ensuring safety for queer staff. You know the Pride month celebrations. These themes have become deeply woven into the fabric of western institutions. There is no escaping it.
The Goal
MY TWO-FOLD AIM – Kids recognize that a theme popping up in a book is wrong. If the theme is in the background, they mentally register that they don’t agree with it, but they can continue to enjoy the story.
If the theme is at the forefront of the story, and getting weirder by the page, they need to forget about that book and let me know so we can discuss as necessary.
We need to equip our kids to navigate the wild world of children’s literature with a discerning and steadfast mind.
What to Expect
‘The Wayfinders Book Club’ will have a mixture of light-hearted, completely age-appropriate secular middle grade books, delightful books by Christian authors, and books with background woke elements to provoke discussion around Biblical truth and encourage kids to know when a book needs to go.
Joining ‘The Wayfinders Book Club.’
I’m so excited about ‘The Wayfinders Book Club’ launch. If you are too, subscribe to the JoyfulJourney123 blog, Facebook page, or YouTube channel to receive more information leading up to the official launch.
