Book Review… Evados Children Series 1&2

I asked for an honest book review and this was as in-depth as it could come… Thank you for this!!!

REVIEW OF “EVADOS CHILDREN SERIES (ME AND MY SOUND MIND)”

BOOK TITLE: EVADOS CHILDREN SERIES (ME AND MY SOUND MIND) VOLS. 1&2

AUTHOR: LOVE UFEDO ILLAH

PUBLISHER: BEAUTIFUL FEET PUBLISHING

YEAR: 2018

PAGES (VOLUME1&2): 65

REVIEWER: CHARLES ODINIYA, PONTIFICAL URBAN UNIVERSITY, ROME, ITALY

Title

The title of this book is borne out of the ardent desire of a mother to teach her children lessons about God, life and etiquette.

Content

The book is divided into ten short and captivating subtitles or chapters, alongside pictorial that depict each story line that is contained in each chapter. Children do not enjoy long and boring stories. It is in place that the author is conscious of brevity. Children love pictures especially cartoons because they aid them to understand the message or story that is conveyed better. This is exemplified in the pictures in every chapter of the book as they help to get children’s attention. The stories in this book are not to be taken only at their literal level. They should also be considered at a deeper level. In order to have a better understanding, both levels should be held in a fruitful tension. The author combines both in order to drive home her message.

Lessons from “Evados Children Series”

The book shows the author’s depth of reflection, creativity and literary finesse, one who can turn “an arid land to fertile land.”This work can be summarized into two basic lessons on Faith and morals which in turn can be further enunciated.

Danny wise: deals with moderation and discipline in terms of curbing our appetite. It is not every food a child sees that he eats. It is not every time that a child is hungry that he eats. There are at times when a child has to avoid excess eating in order to focus on a goal in class or in life. The same holds sway for adults. Plato talks about the need to tame the appetite part of our soul. His disciple, Aristotle also talks about moderation in his theory of golden mean. Theology talks about prudence as the charioteer of virtues. In what we do or eat, we must remember moderation or prudence for there lays wisdom.

David the Great: is the second side to Danny the wise. While the former deals with wisdom, the latter deals with strength and valour. Both are needed in life in order to balance up. Most times the problems in life are not solved by physical strength alone. If not we wouldn’t have had war or ethnic violence any more. Parents should teach their children about the danger of aggression and the strength in wisdom. The character of David also shows that nothing is too difficult not to be accomplished by human beings if we combine three things, strength, wisdom and God. Parents should teach their children to rely on them but on God first, for solutions.

This takes us to The Giant who is Scared of Me. We need to have a positive disposition towards people and life in general. We need to believe in the power of positive thinking. It is not always correct to think that situations, people or things will remain the way they are. Bad situation improves with time and good situation degenerates at a certain point. Parents should prepare their children to accept this truth. But we must do our bid and leave what we cannot change in life. Public opinion especially that which is negative; should not influence our judgment of other children or people in life. Friends should not cage us with their negative opinions about other children with whom we can strike a chord.

I am No Scaredy Child deals with availability of parents to children. What can they do in order to assist their growing children especially when children feel unsecured? The first thing to do still falls back to their availability. Our presence as parents does a lot of therapy for scared children. Growing children need a lot of attention from their parents because they face spiritual, physical, social and psychological challenges. We cannot leave their formation to the state or other agents alone. They all have their different roles in the life of children. But the familial role is primordial to all. Our children need our presence to reassure them of their safety.

Mary and No is a guide that teaches precaution and awareness of sexual predators.  The mother of Tori and Nuggie was able to get feedback from what happened the previous day from her two daughters who went out. She figures out a problem and attacks it instantly without waiting for its recurrence. She then goes on to proffer practical solutions to it and counsels them. Children can face stiff opposition from peers as a result of following the wise counsel of their parents. When this happens they may feel isolated and would need their parents to give them confidence. In that way they don’t lose their self-worth.

Nemmy and My Country is closely linked to this. It deals with patriotism. Patriotism is devoid of personal interest. It promotes common good. The National anthem and National Pledge are meant to ginger us to patriotism. Nehemiah proves a good example. The thought of helping his country disturbs him until he lives it. An act of patriotism begins from doing little things around the environment. Can children hold their heads up while other children are losing theirs? Can children pick pieces of papers without been told to do so? Can they offer a helping hand to a stranger without been beckoned upon? Can they walk around the classroom without been asked by the School management? Can they forgo a lunch or supper for the sake of the poor or needy?  What is our attitude towards our national flag, anthem and pledge? These acts appear to be little but in fact constitute what makes for patriotism If they dare to be different they would face opposition. Lack of patriotism makes a nation to suffer.

Jerry Speaks Out points to our role to always stand firm for what is right. Patriotism and prophetic role are intertwined. Boldness and confidence in public speaking,

This is a launch pad to Faith: What is the Name? Is our list of petitions to God, akin to the manner in which Tori and her siblings draft a list of school needs to be submitted to their biological father. God gives us the assurance of granting our intentions for us in the way a father assures his children of catering for all their school needs. Part of our list to God is to enable us to fulfill our destiny and to give us the grace to carry out our prophetic task. Although, some of our items on the list are overblown to the detriment of more important ones as it is customary among children.

Mister Won’t Let Go creates in children a persistent attitude when they wait on their parents for their needs to be met. They can be desperate when they wait around the house to get the items from them, even when they know that their list takes a toll on family finances. Persistence is the second side to the first part of making a list. It is not advisable to give up on people or on God for The fact that there is a supposed delay in granting our requests. Some parents may be struggling to cater for their children and so, the means may not be there. When needs are not readily met children should not protest. Parents on their part should not nag at their children for delay in providing for their children. They should make them see reasons as to why such needs cannot be met immediately. Persistence has both positive and negative side. If we persist we would have what we want, while also remembering God’s method of granting our petitions is not the same with ours. The Holy Spirit in me seals all our decisions because it inspires us, guide and direct our path. And when we cannot present our petitions properly he does assist us.

In conclusion, the author is inspired by the scripture.Her work is indeed a condensed book with a lot of lessons for families, Christians, moralist and non-Christians alike.It is a mini-handbook for parents who want to assist their children on the right part.I therefore recommend it for all parents.

What do you all think, great right? yeah, I thought so too. read and enjoy a bit of the icing, the taste of the cake is in the buying…

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XOXO