Knoxville, Tennessee


How could I ignore a book with the most random title I have ever seen? 

THREE PROS
*The importance of both family and community togetherness oozes off the pages  
*Larry Johnson does a great job capturing the feel of a beautiful country day
*Succinctly captures a few of the advantages of churchgoing without becoming overly religious, thereby avoiding the preclusion of any other faiths

THREE CONS 
*Freely admits it's a poem that has been converted into a different form, which, to me, is an indicator that there's not much of a plot to speak of -- look, I know there are many types of books out there, but unless the alternative styles are notably memorable, they usually start from behind with me 
*I'm no Walt Whitman, but I find it repetitive to have one page talk about going to bed then followed up by another one that says only "and sleep" 
*People on the buttermilk page are eating ice cream and not drinking anything while people on the ice cream page are not eating ice cream and are drinking what I assume is buttermilk

ONE DAD'S OPINION
I've been to Knoxville once (to visit a friend from school in his hometown).  Nice people, super affordable real estate, and Volunteer football will forever be etched in my mind.  In some regards, it's as good a place as any to set a children's story about American family life.  The only problem is this story has nothing to do with the city I spent that weekend in.  Claxton, TN or Walland, TN (or any other rural setting outside the metroplex) would have been more appropriate things to call it.  Trivial, I know, but as a geography guy, this didn't help me get into what we were reading.  Of course, that's not enough of a reason to drop the rating down to the Donate status I feel it deserves.  No, that grade was the result of my overall blase reaction to its poetic style.  Scholastic Incorporated published (and charged $15 for) something that reminded me of any number of homework assignments I heard in my high school English class.  Just like my fellow classmates' works, it may hold special meaning to the author and should be treasured, but doesn't warrant being bound.
    

Buy / Borrow / DONATE / Destroy



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