Grace RS's Updates en-US Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:42:59 -0700 60 Grace RS's Updates 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Rating847332946 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 18:42:59 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS liked a readstatus]]> /
Grace RS liked Davis’s status update
Davis Smith Davis Smith is currently reading The Code of the Woosters (Jeeves, #7)
]]> UserStatus1045565077 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:12:24 -0700 <![CDATA[ Grace RS is 50% done with The Housekeeper and the P ]]> The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa Grace RS is 50% done with <a href="/book/show/3181564-the-housekeeper-and-the-professor">The Housekeeper and the Professor</a>. ]]> Review6860091298 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:12:03 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS added 'The Devil's Arithmetic']]> /review/show/6860091298 The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen Grace RS gave 2 stars to The Devil's Arithmetic (Paperback) by Jane Yolen
bookshelves: postmodern, ya, holocaust, concentration-camp, historical-fiction, middle-grade
A book on the Holocaust written for youth. While it is an introductory crash course on what the Jews endured, I don't think it is especially unique or superior to the many other WW2 YA books I have encountered. The characters and setting fall flat for me.

I dislike that it trains young minds in postmodernism. I understand that most books on the holocaust tend to be postmodern, but I wouldn't want my young child being trained in this mentality, especially when they will encounter it extensively in their own lifetime. There's the extreme distrust of stories and information that has not been personally witnessed (much like Goya's "Yo Lo Vi" painting), the added level of chaos of the many Yiddish and German words lacking any translation, the willingness to reject faith and God's presence due to the inhumanity around them, and an acceptance of the world/nature as being cold, meaningless, and indifferent. If this were not geared for middle schoolers, I might give it a 3.

Moreover, the concept of the book seems to have begun with the moral to never forget, to give life to those who died by remembering, so the book tends to be didactic. This girl is annoyed at having to celebrate Seder and remember what her ancestors have gone through, up until she herself must survive it. There is some transcendence at the end, however, when Chaya takes the place of her friend, allowing another to live in her place. ]]> Rating847223066 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:07:45 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS liked a review]]> /
Grace RS liked Andrea Renfrow's review of Common Arts Education: Renewing the Classical Tradition of Training the Hands, Head, and Heart:
Common Arts Education by Chris Hall
"Although I feel like this books sums up everything I already knew, it's a great resources to keep on the shelf or recommend to people who aren't sure where to start when it comes to including what many refer to "handicrafts" in their classical education. It is from the perspective and geared towards those running a school, rather than a homeschool, but most the ideas are easily implemented at home and/or in co-ops."
]]> Rating847222646 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 12:06:17 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS liked a review]]> /
Grace RS liked Andi Hagen's review of The Wild Robot Protects (The Wild Robot, #3):
The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown
"This one didn’t do it for me. The story was kind of boring and I didn’t care for the political undertones in the story. "
]]> Rating847153108 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 08:07:34 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS liked a review]]> /
Grace RS liked Andrea Renfrow's review of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books:
On Reading Well by Karen Swallow Prior
"Prior writes well about good books, and says some interesting things... but ultimately I felt like the idea of reading virtuously became a beating of a dead horse. Categorizing which virtue should be gleaned from which piece of literary fiction became a little bit tiresome. The essays would have been better off not strung together with that theme, I think.

I can see where neo-classical homeschool moms would love this, and where classical/Charlotte Mason homeschool moms might cringe. As in all things, I live in the in-between. I see some lovely things happening in some of Prior's commentary and I sometimes felt like throwing the book across the room at the patronizing didacticism."
]]> Review6860091298 Mon, 14 Apr 2025 01:11:07 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS added 'The Devil's Arithmetic']]> /review/show/6860091298 The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen Grace RS gave 2 stars to The Devil's Arithmetic (Paperback) by Jane Yolen
bookshelves: postmodern, ya, holocaust, concentration-camp, historical-fiction, middle-grade
A book on the Holocaust written for youth. While it is an introductory crash course on what the Jews endured, I don't think it is especially unique or superior to the many other WW2 YA books I have encountered. The characters and setting fall flat for me.

I dislike that it trains young minds in postmodernism. I understand that most books on the holocaust tend to be postmodern, but I wouldn't want my young child being trained in this mentality, especially when they will encounter it extensively in their own lifetime. There's the extreme distrust of stories and information that has not been personally witnessed (much like Goya's "Yo Lo Vi" painting), the added level of chaos of the many Yiddish and German words lacking any translation, the willingness to reject faith and God's presence due to the inhumanity around them, and an acceptance of the world/nature as being cold, meaningless, and indifferent. If this were not geared for middle schoolers, I might give it a 3.

Moreover, the concept of the book seems to have begun with the moral to never forget, to give life to those who died by remembering, so the book tends to be didactic. This girl is annoyed at having to celebrate Seder and remember what her ancestors have gone through, up until she herself must survive it. There is some transcendence at the end, however, when Chaya takes the place of her friend, allowing another to live in her place. ]]> Review6860091298 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 13:08:13 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS added 'The Devil's Arithmetic']]> /review/show/6860091298 The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen Grace RS gave 2 stars to The Devil's Arithmetic (Paperback) by Jane Yolen
bookshelves: postmodern, ya, holocaust, concentration-camp, historical-fiction, middle-grade
A book on the Holocaust written for youth. While it is an introductory crash course on what the Jews endured, I don't think it is especially unique or superior to the many other WW2 YA books I have encountered. The characters and setting fall flat for me.

I dislike that it trains young minds in postmodernism. I understand that most books on the holocaust tend to be postmodern, but I wouldn't want my young child being trained in this mentality, especially when they will encounter it extensively in their own lifetime. There's the extreme distrust of stories and information that has not been personally witnessed (much like Goya's "Yo Lo Vi" painting), the added level of chaos of the many Yiddish and German words lacking any translation, the willingness to reject faith and God's presence due to the inhumanity around them, and an acceptance of the world/nature as being cold, meaningless, and indifferent. If this were not geared for middle schoolers, I might give it a 3.

Moreover, the concept of the book seems to have begun with the moral to never forget, to give life to those who died by remembering, so the book tends to be didactic. This girl is annoyed at having to celebrate Seder and remember what her ancestors have gone through, up until she herself must survive it. There is some transcendence at the end, however, when Chaya takes the place of her friend, allowing another to live in her place. ]]> Comment289445889 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 12:15:38 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS made a comment on Elena’s status]]> /user_status/show/1043283964 Grace RS made a comment on Elena’s status

Do you happen to live in TX then? I live in the DFW area! ]]> Review6860091298 Sun, 13 Apr 2025 12:10:55 -0700 <![CDATA[Grace RS added 'The Devil's Arithmetic']]> /review/show/6860091298 The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen Grace RS gave 2 stars to The Devil's Arithmetic (Paperback) by Jane Yolen
bookshelves: postmodern, ya, holocaust, concentration-camp, historical-fiction, middle-grade
A book on the Holocaust written for youth. While it is an introductory crash course on what the Jews endured, I don't think it is especially unique or superior to the many other WW2 YA books I have encountered. The characters and setting fall flat for me.

I dislike that it trains young minds in postmodernism. I understand that most books on the holocaust tend to be postmodern, but I wouldn't want my young child being trained in this mentality, especially when they will encounter it extensively in their own lifetime. There's the extreme distrust of stories and information that has not been personally witnessed (much like Goya's "Yo Lo Vi" painting), the added level of chaos of the many Yiddish and German words lacking any translation, the willingness to reject faith and God's presence due to the inhumanity around them, and an acceptance of the world/nature as being cold, meaningless, and indifferent. If this were not geared for middle schoolers, I might give it a 3.

Moreover, the concept of the book seems to have begun with the moral to never forget, to give life to those who died by remembering, so the book tends to be didactic. This girl is annoyed at having to celebrate Seder and remember what her ancestors have gone through, up until she herself must survive it. There is some transcendence at the end, however, when Chaya takes the place of her friend, allowing another to live in her place. ]]>