Dr. DooRiddles (& Other August Reads)

In the month of August, our family read four books: Dr. DooRiddles plus three others. Read on for our our impression of each.

4 books we read in August

Too Much of a Good Thing by Dan Kindlon

This book addresses the problems that occur when children are given everything they want, but not what they most desperately need: parents who love them enough to set some limits.

Dr. Kindlon writes: “[Children must] learn at an early age, even if it’s painful, that their needs don’t always come first and that the world does not revolve around them…. [T]his is one of the most important lessons that we can teach them.”

Too Much of a Good Thing validated a couple of my own long held beliefs; namely, that the family dinner hour is extremely important and should be jealously guarded, and that children grow up to be more successful who are required to do regular household chores.

The financial struggles many parents are facing in these hard economic times may actually be one of the best things that ever happened to their children.

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen

The sweet story of a blossoming friendship told from the very different perspectives of the two children involved.

Alternatingly hilarious and heart-wrenching, this book makes an excellent character study that underscores the truth of that old adage, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

UPDATE: As a bonus, after you read the story, you might enjoy watching the movie. We were pleased with how well the film followed the book.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt

David Platt’s RADICAL is one of the most challenging and personally convicting books we’ve read all year.

Doug liked it so much when he first read it, in fact, that he gave scores of copies away to our friends and led an eight-week Bible study based on the book. Every Thursday night, folks would gather in our home to brainstorm: How can we as Christians most effectively share the RADICAL love of Jesus with those who do not know him?

David Platt may not have all the answers, but he’s certainly asking the right questions.

Dr. DooRiddles

Are you looking for a fun and easy way to add some critical thinking into your school day? A daily dose of Dr. DooRiddles may be just the prescription you need.

Available in three different levels, they are fun for all ages. Our family worked our way through the entire series this summer, then moved onto Spelling DooRiddles once school started. The lower levels are fairly easy — our older kids would whisper the answers to their younger siblings whenever the little ones got stumped — but the upper levels can be surprisingly challenging. I would read about a dozen riddles aloud to my kids just before our afternoon storytime. They’d race to see who could solve it first, then I’d discuss and/or explain the solution before moving onto the next riddle.

I have seen marked improvement in verbal reasoning in all the kids who participated, from age four to fourteen. Our family has been using materials from the Critical Thinking Company for over twenty years now, and highly recommend them. We’d encourage you to check out all they have to offer, including a slew of free printable activities for your students. (And if you’ll use this link to get there, they’ll give you free shipping.)

Do you love to read as much as we do? I’ve gathered all my best resources for bibliophiles into this post, or you can read more of my book reviews by following this link

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