The Elevator Family by Douglas Evans

It’s silly enough to possible turn-off a tween. But the whimsical silliness is part of the charm of this book.

The Wilson family checks into a hotel and goofily mistakes the elevator for their new hotel room. They take up residence and enjoy the ambience in Otis, as they name their new, temporary abode.

Naturally enough, they receive plenty of visitors who react in varied ways to these eccentrics. Some become their friends, and there is a solid good message of helping your neighbor that comes through in the various vignettes that play out over the course of their stay. In the end, they even manage to foil a kidnapping attempt much to the relief of the bored little girl whom they saved.

As all good adventures must come to an end, the Wilson family moves on… perhaps to a toll booth?


SAFETY RATING: 3 Flags

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Saving Lily by Peg Kehret

Peg Kehret writes engaging stories for the mid-younger tween set. This is not one of her more engaging stories but a likable one nonetheless.

This one she writes with a good agenda. Peg Kehret is an animal lover, and she does a fine job of weaving this story about Lily, an abused circus elephant and a student who ends up saving her from a miserable existence.

When Erin writes a research report on animal abuse, this leads to her bowing out of the class field trip to the local circus. She then has to deal with: an upset teacher, educating other people on animal abuses, and even finding a way to save Lily, the circus elephant and sending her to a sanctuary.

What Peg writes about in fiction is true. Animals have and are treated inhumanely, and this is a shame. It is educational to read in the book about real ways people have made progress in helping abused animals.

The story passes with flying colors, although I have a slight reservation. The Church teaches us to care for and have regard for animals and their welfare. But we are also cautioned to maintain the proper balance and perspective and not have a disordered affection for animals that puts them in a place that only human beings should hold.

Teaching Moment: I thought the book skirted a bit close to getting this out-of-balance. There was a daydream the main character had about arguing before the Supreme Court to grant legal rights to animals. The difference between legal and humans rights is not explained. Also, one character mentions to the main character: you're talking about animals as though they're human. She does correct herself that they are intelligent creatures, but the distinction between humans created in the image of God is not clearly made.

See Catechism of the Catholic Church: Animals:
place in Creation: 2415, 2416
Relationship to Man: 2417, 2418, 2457

Rating: 2 Vatican Flags

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Slake's Limbo by Felice Holman

Most kids, at some point, wonder what would happen to them if something happened to their parents. Being kids, they usually envision rather wild scenarios.

So kids tend to like Slake’s Limbo because Slake is a child without parents who manages to eke out an existence in a cave in the walls of the New York subway system. It’s just the kind of wild scenario that they might imagine would work. And, in Slake’s case, it does… for awhile.

The is a well-told story about loneliness, survival, the kindness of strangers, and above all, hope.

There is passing, vague references to gangs/drugs (Slake is suitable to neither). There is the hard reality he was criminally neglected at home. And there is reference to people who were knifed in the subway. No details are given. These facts are pertinent to Slake’s hard life but peripheral to the story of his strength to cope.

This is actually written for younger tweens, and is an excellent story if you don’t mind your tweens reading about homelessness.

Rating: 3 Vatican Flags

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