Book Reviewed by Theresa Harvard Johnson
Author Fran Clark
According to the New York Times, bullying has become a hot topic across the nation.[1] It is reported that 28 percent of students in the United States experience bullying in grades 6-12, and 30 percent report being bullies according to StopBullying.gov, a collaborative initiative of federal agencies dedicated to prevention, awareness and intervention. Bullying, however, can occur anywhere not just at school.
Author Fran Clark addresses this subject in her novel for youth and teens, The Meeting on the Moon. She introduces us to 11-year-old Andrew James Carmichael, a skinny, but athletic, studious young man who loves kickball, but is being tortured daily by a school bully. Like many children his age, Drew – as he is lovingly called – finds himself afraid, intimidated and humiliated beneath the brutal beatings, daily searching for a way of escape.
Though Drew lives in loving home with both parents and his baby sister, he feels abandoned by his father who never seems to have time to talk with him so he turns to God for answers. Clark weaves the reader into a young boys love for science, curiosity about faith and fascination with the moon to develop a touching story that fully addresses:
- The effects of bullying on the victim;
- The circumstances that sometimes cause bullies to victimize others;
- The need for parents to be vigilant in listening to their children;
- The power of God to face one’s fear;
- The power of forgiveness, and
- The power of God to heal.
In The Meeting on the Moon, readers are thrust into Drew’s amazing journey to the moon where he meets God in the midst of one the most difficult periods in his life. During this meeting God and a little girl named Carrie assists him in releasing his fears, regaining his voice and receiving the courage to confront his father and mother, and take a chance on being heard. Drew regains the courage to speak. What happens next, however, in an amazing twist to the story brings healing to the entire family.
Clark does an excellent joy of presenting Drew’s challenges to readers. While this book would be an empowering read for pre-teens and teens. It also a book that parents can read along with children who are between the ages of nine and 10. It offers valuable insight into defining bullying; how young people might respond to being victimized; how bullying is often overlooked at home and in school; and how parents or caregivers can be pro-active in the lives of youth and teens. In addition, there are a clear and solid messages of faith in Christ including the power of forgiveness, and the call to help others once you have overcome.
I must add, however, that it is easy to enter into Clark’s skillful storytelling and enjoy the adventure. This novel is well-written, easy to follow and better than a number of other books on this subject circulating today. It would be a great addition to the library of those looking for a Christ-centered approach to this subject in their homes, private schools, libraries or other venues.
About the Book
The Meeting On The Moon
By Fran Clark
188 pages
Price: $13.95
Purchase online at Amazon.com
