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The Problem of Children’s Literature

By Michael J. Rayes

Published in The Remnant, August 31, 2007

Something suspicious happens every time Tom and Rick go to Creekwater National Bank to investigate the recent robbery. Tom’s uncle, the Reverend Father Paul Spencer, helps the boys unravel the mystery. But they still don’t know who really robbed the bank. And why are shady characters inside the bank when it’s supposed to be closed?

Tom, Rick, and Father Spencer use their wits — and prayer — to help the police demolish a criminal conspiracy. They plunge into an exciting adventure that catapults them to a conclusion they never expected.

Read a good book lately?

Have your kids read a good book lately?

Visit your local Borders or Barnes and Noble and look through the children’s section. You’ll find a lot of It’s-All-About-Me books for girls, and The-Wizard-Says-Goat-Blood-is-Delicious books for boys. The books look great. Glossy covers, attention-grabbing chapters, lots of color, lots of action. If you’re a good traditional Catholic, your kids probably don’t watch TV. They may even be homeschooled. In other words, they either spend a lot of time outside or they read a lot. Or both. Finding good books for your pre-teen is a constant challenge.

Well, this book looks ok, but . . . Mommy has to read it first. After she cooks dinner and helps with homework and after the rosary and after the laundry is done and … eventually Mommy wears down and lets little Johnny or Suzy read Harry Potter or some Judy Blume books, or on the other hand, she retains iron-fisted control and the kids never read enough books, and they go stir crazy, and then Mommy has to get the mustard and ketchup out of the fish tank. Ah, the Catholic domestic life.

How did children’s books get so bad, anyway? Let’s start with the original Hardy Boys series. This series ran from the 1920s through the 1970s and followed a pattern of glorifying youth in children’s literature that began in the mid 19th century. This glorification manifested itself in many ways, but especially in the supposed ability of children to think and act as adults. Frank and Joe Hardy are Super Teens Who Can Handle Anything. Remember, the first six Hardy Boys books were written in the 1920s.

Compared with children’s “literature” published since the 1970s, the earlier children’s books seem harmless. My own boys read all the Hardy Boys books they can get their hands on, but I don’t let them read the newer ones that have “dragon” or “warlock” themes. The original Hardy Boys books, as well as the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, are certainly well written and much less harmful than the garbage written since the ‘70s. But the seeds of childhood elevation, or the undue glorification of youth, were there.

By itself, these seeds will probably not take root in a strong and stable family. In other words, if your family is stable then your children can read such books as Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew all they want; later on, they probably will not make adolescent attempts to “divorce” their parents or engage in militant feminism.

Combine such literature with the relentless production of G-rated movies that show children as wise and adults as bungling idiots. Now combine that mix with various declarations on children’s rights from the U.N. and other governing bodies. The anti-family direction of certain elitists in society becomes obvious.

What’s the answer? What’s a parent to do? Lest anyone claim that I can diagnose a problem but not offer a solution, I am very happy to offer Catholic parents everywhere a solution: The brand-new Spencer Family Mystery series.

You see, the Spencer family is Catholic. Tom Spencer is 18 years old. He and his friend, Rick, are amateur sleuths. Tom’s dad is a private investigator, and Tom’s uncle is a Catholic priest. (No, not what you’re thinking. He’s a good Catholic priest.)

Spencer Family Mysteries is similar in style to the original Hardy Boys series. The main characters are two older teenage boys. The major differences between the Hardy Boys and Spencer Family Mysteries are the boys’ relationships with adults and the boys’ lack of sufficient maturity to tackle every problem that comes their way. A strong family life is emphasized as well.

Volume 1 of the Spencer Family Mystery series is titled Bank Robbery! Readers follow Tom, Rick, and Father Spencer as they track the robbers and try to solve the mystery. They receive progressively darker threats along the way as they follow the many twists and turns of events. In the end, the mystery is solved and the boys learn a lot about detective work – and themselves.

The first book in the series has a pretty wide audience. You may have already seen it advertised in The Remnant. Both traditional and Novus Ordo Catholics bought the book and enjoyed it. You can buy it for your own family, or for your relatives still entrenched in the Novus Ordo. A diocesan reviewer said of the book, “One aspect that separates Bank Robbery! from others in its genre is the presence of a natural Catholicism. After a close call with the criminals, Tom Spencer spontaneously offers the Memorare to the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Spencer Family Mysteries is also similar to the excellent Father Brown series by G.K. Chesterton. The priest-character is similar to Fr. Brown, only a bit more paternalistic. A teacher who reviewed the book wrote, “Bank Robbery! is the first book in a positive new series I'd like my students to read. The priest is smart, the father is right, the kids are the heroes, and justice is served.”

The Spencer series combines the action and mystery of the Hardy Boys with the deductive psychology of Chesterton’s Father Brown. Admittedly, certain children will not understand Father Spencer’s reasoning, but that will not detract from the overall plot. Of course, unlike Father Brown, there will never be a suicide or actual murder in the Spencer series. There is some violence in volume 1 of the series when the boys stumble upon a ring of criminals and get into a scuffle. But this is a Catholic book meant for children to read – punches are thrown, but there is nothing grisly in the book.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article the slick children’s books at modern bookstores. Unfortunately, many books written by Catholics today are not produced at that level. However, I am very happy to say that Bank Robbery! is a high-quality production. The book is a glossy, durable hardcover and printed with acid-free paper. The final edition went through a professional editing process and several proofreading cycles. The finished product is professionally typeset and designed by an award-winning book designer.

This 137 page book is available directly from Rafka Press, our publishing company, at www.rafkapress.com, or by writing to: Rafka Press, PO Box 8507, Surprise, AZ 85374-0125. We also accept credits cards over the phone by calling 602-291-6263.

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