Family Briefs

Well, I never did get around to posting the “follow-up” final review after finishing the first Daniel X book. We DID finish it and loved the story - from beginning to end (minus the mild profanity, mind you :).

So when MotherTalk sent out information about a second Daniel X book, I was quite ecstatic. I signed up, all giggly that I could surprise my 9 year-old with the next book. (He was quite disappointed upon finishing the first book that the second book wasn’t available yet.) He was so excited when the book arrived, but he refused to wait for me to read it to him aloud. He wanted to devour it for himself.

Of course, the stipulation was that he would have to help me blog my review. You know, 9 year-olds really can’t be trusted. He’s sitting right here pouting about having to help me blog about the book. He’d much rather be out raking leaves (which normally I wouldn’t complain about, but I’ve got this deadline hanging over my head). I don’t know what the real issue is, except it’s something I’ve asked him to do. He thinks I should have read the book myself. Heck! It took me three months to read the 6th Harry Potter to myself; the window to read Daniel X: Watch the Skies was about three weeks. I didn’t stand a chance. Besides, I’d rather have the perspective of the 9 year-old to share with you.

He’s tired of pouting and now seems a bit more willing to cooperate . . . . offering to pay him for his time in screen-time dollars didn’t hurt . . . so, here’s the 9 year-old perspective on Daniel X: Watch the Skies by James Patterson and Ned Rust:

Daniel X is basically the same character as he was in the first book,
except he learns from his dad how to tele-port. So I ask a stupid question, “Isn’t his dad dead?” I am reminded (rather sarcastically) that in the first book, Daniel X figured out how to “be” with his parents by thinking about them real hard. How did I forget that? Anyway, this tele-porting talent comes in handy when he finds himself in the midst of a fight with an alien and needs to “run” home to get something important (he just can’t remember what right now and I’m distracted just thinking about how much good use I could make of this tele-porting ability . . .).

But I digress . . . still loved the short chapter format of the book and loved the science fiction story line with good guys vs. bad guys. Daniel X’s friends (also conjured up by thinking about them) fought about 3000 aliens while Daniel X went after Alien #3 in a really intense part of the book. Daniel X was going after Alien #6 in the first book, which you really have to read to “get” the second book. My son (the smart aleck) won’t tell me who won the battle - he says I’ve got to read the book for myself (and so do you if you want to know).

One of his favorite parts of the book was when Alien #3 appeared on a TV screen and could see Daniel X and his friends about to attack some of the alien’s henchmen. He thought that was a pretty cool power for a bad alien to have. I’m thinking that’d be a pretty handy ability for a mom to have . . . kinda like having eyes in the back of your head :).

All in all, we give both Daniel X books a big thumbs up! Can’t wait for Demons & Druids - the next in the Daniel X series (this book had a sneak preview which makes it doubly hard to wait for it!). Also coming in December 2009 is another book by James Patterson called Witch and Wizard. The preview included makes this sound like an awesome read too! You can find out more about James Patterson by visiting his website at www.jamespatterson.com. Happy reading!

When I was pregnant with our 4th and lounging the summer away at the water park trying to stay cool, another mom of four welcomed me to the “freaky four club.” We discussed how people think you’re weird for having four kids, you know, ‘cuz two is normal.

Yes, we get weird looks and see people counting and wondering if they are all ours. Lots of comments about “how do you do it?” and “I can barely manage the two we have” and “do you know how this keeps happening?” Yes. We’re freaks, but we’re happy freaks.

Fortunately, I haven’t had anyone tease us about our choices in extracurricular activities - for example, not signing our kids up for soccer or t-ball. We pretty much stick to TaeKwonDo, ballet, scouts, and church. Many days, I think that’s too much. Poor Jane (not her real name) apparently gets mocked more than we do because she can’t even use her real name in a blog about their family’s choice to limit their activities!

We’ve opted out of sports because they require practice during the week and a game on Saturday (and God forbid, you sign up for traveling soccer and have to drive two hours just to get to a game!). We love TaeKwonDo for the self control and discipline emphasis, ballet because . . . . well because we have girly girls, scouts for all the God and country emphasis along with all the neat stuff you learn, and church to keep us a little grounded. I mean, really, that’s enough - isn’t it?

So for all of you families out there that are running around from one activity to the next and wondering why you can’t finish your homework, and think we’re weird? I think you’re crazy! And Jane probably does too :).