“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”Proverbs 13:20
My kids have been growing with the young Arlo since Arlo and the Great Big Cover Up came out. It’s a fan favorite in our house. Now author Betsy Childs Howard has teamed up again with illustrator Samara Hardy to offer another purview of Arlo’s life in the TGC Kids series. But instead of facing the temptation to hide, Arlo meets the temptation to fit in with the big boys.
Briefly, Arlo wants to play with the big boys at the park. In order to do so, they tell him to steal a stuffed owl (Ollie) from a little girl (Bonnie) Arlo knows. He agrees, but the bullies want more. Now Arlo must throw it away.
Even I felt the suspense over whether Arlo would throw the stuffed owl away. Perhaps this is because I have kids of my own. One is Arlo’s age and could face temptation by bigger kids to take another child’s teddy. Whereas the others are the same age as poor Bonnie whose dear stuffed owl is taken. I know exactly how my boys would respond if they lost their beloved stuffed rabbit or puppy, never to be seen again. I can see the pain and guilt of the one who follows through with the cruel act, and the sorrow of the other who has to sleep without his dear animal he’s had since birth. They will one day grow out of them, but for now these toy animals play an important role in these kids’ lives. Through this episode of Arlo’s life, our children are brought into the struggle over yielding to or fighting against temptation. Will this beloved character be a hero or become a bully?
This could go two ways. Arlo could throw away the stuffed owl, Bonnie would fuss and cry, he would repent and perhaps have to buy her a new one. Some important Bible verse would be thrown in, and that would be the end.
Instead, Arlo stands up to the boys. They tell him to play with the babies. He feels like a failure, but his dad encourages him that Jesus is always with him, even when he feels lonely for doing what is right.
Children will also learn not to trust bullies. One boy says Arlo needs to “pass a test.” After Arlo takes the owl, he has “to pass the test.” Arlo isn’t confused. Wasn’t taking the owl the test? Apparently, bullies are big on semantics. Taking the owl was only “a” test, not “the” test. Something you could ask your children is if Arlo did throw away the owl, would that end the tests? Or would the bullies give him something else by which to prove himself? Probably the tests would never end, because now they have a lackey who is willing to do their bidding.
Instead, Arlo stands up to the bullies, protects Bonnie and her owl, and the park warden rids the park of the so-called “big” boys. Had Arlo thrown Ollie away, he could have been part of that group that eventually would have been kicked out of the park. How would his dad have responded then?
Speaking of which, there is a page where Arlo’s dad is sitting on a bench maybe ten feet away from Bonnie. Now, I know this isn’t a movie, and with a book like this too many people on a scene can be too cumbersome. But it seems odd to me that he didn’t see Arlo stealing Bonnie’s owl, nor does he run up to check if Arlo is alright after having been pelted with pinecones. Having him facing the opposite direction would have made more sense. Yet if kids notice this and ask, parents can make something up to make the story work. He’s probably trying to read one of Greg Beale’s hefty new books.
Every book in this series is illustrated well by Samara Hardy. People look natural and not stiff, no matter if they are standing, sitting, eating cookies, stealing owls, or being thrown out of a park. The illustrations are very well drawn. Sometimes the background is left out, perhaps so that we will focus on the main characters, their conversation, and what they are thinking and feeling. This may be the case, but I think having the background illustrated on every page looks nicer, and it makes the book feel less empty.
Recommended?
Like I’ve said before, both I and my kids really like this series. It’s biblical, well-illustrated, and there is a note to parents at the end of the book about how to talk with your kids about friendship, following Jesus, and peer pressure. How we deal with peer pressure at work (do I do enough?), church (how do I react when my kids mess up?), or from neighbors (my lawn isn’t as nice as theirs), teaches our children about what really matters. Does it really matter that Mr. Jones’ hibiscuses are doing better than ours, or is it better that my children love Jesus more than being cool? This book offers an example of how we slowly train our hearts and the hearts of our children to do what is right, even if they are the only ones.
(Coincidentally, like my review of Lucy and the Saturday Surprise, I write this review with our fifth child wrapped on me late at night. I apologize for any typos here as well!)
Lagniappe
- Series: TGC Kids
- Author: Betsy Childs Howard
- Illustrator: Samara Hardy
- Reading Level: 3–8 years
- Hardcover: 40 pages
- Publisher: Crossway (September 17, 2024)
- Previous Reviews in this Series:
- Meg is Not Alone — Hill/Hardy
- Lucy and the Saturday Surprise — Kruger/Hardy
- Meg is Not Alone — Hill/Hardy
Buy it from Amazon or Crossway
Review Disclosure: I received this book free from Crossway. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html.
Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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