Jigsaw Jones, the third and final installment

It’s a fine day to pick apart an argument, wouldn’t you agree?

I’m glad that my wife invited me onto her blog to do just that! I’m the husband of one (and she’s a good writer by the way, in addition to her other talents, if I might brag on her a little), and father of five who lives on the periphery of this fine forum.

Well, before I wear out my welcome with an overlong introduction, let’s jump right in.

There is such a thing as a bad book.

In a world full of good books – books well-crafted, time-tested, examined and approved by people alive or dead whose judgment we trust – Guinever and I have decided not to waste time or money on bad books (or even mediocre ones, if possible) for our children.

We have only so much time and money. Why settle for less than knocking around the barnyard with Freddy the Pig?

In panning The Case of the Kidnapped Candy, part of the Jigsaw Jones mystery series, Guinever contributed to an online network of conversation, based on values derived from Scripture, that helps many people use their resources wisely.

Judging by some of the responses to her post, you might think she were pouring the gasoline at a book-burning. In the comments, several professional educators have tried to pull Jigsaw Jones from the flames, apparently aghast that anyone would refuse a book to a child.

(Diagnostic question: Would you give a child Madonna’s Sex book? No? Good – then the debate is not about whether one would keep a book from a child. The debate is about WHICH book – and by what standard?)

One of these comments follows. Note the personal attack. Observe the indignation over someone deciding not to give her own child a book, based on her own family’s standards. (Read the original post carefully – never once did Guinever tell someone else what to do.)

It is tempting to view this response as typical of what our tax dollars support in the public education system, but let’s be charitable – perhaps the commenter just had a bad day.

Either way, this piece of work merits close attention:

THE COMMENT BEGINS: I have a masters in teaching, a degree in speech pathology, and am a Nationally Certified Teacher. Honestly, I was shocked at your assessment of the Jigsaw Jones series. His attitude helps spark conversation among students. You could ask your child if you believe Jigsaw is being disrespectful. If so, how could he change his “tone” in order to represent himself in a more respectful way.

REPLY: Yes – we could spend our time having a conversation about Jigsaw Jones, unless we were sure that there were a thousand better ways of teaching and learning this lesson. We could, unless we were sure that our time would be better spent working on Latin, or learning math, or reading The Lord of the Rings aloud, or lighting the Advent candles, or playing catch in the yard, or doing just about anything other than spending time on a children’s book that is, at best, below average in content and composition.

And let us mention only in passing the appalling prospect that classroom time somewhere, anywhere, is being invested in Jigsaw Jones. I am shocked! Shocked, I say!

My kids have also been read to since they were infants – that has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that this is a series that entertains and encourages many kids to read.

I believe this begins a response to something Guinever wrote in a comment from a “concerned librarian.”

Some may argue that allowing children access to mythology might make them question the existence of God and Jesus. A child might ascertain that certain individuals were at one time devout to many gods and goddesses without having physical proof that they existed. We now call them “myths”. Children may then automatically question our God and wonder if He will also be considered a “myth” in the future. I, of course, would never deny students access to the genre of mythology. It sparks conversation, is entertaining, and holds valuable historical information (Think Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius).

Some may argue this. We don’t. As Guinever noted in the aforementioned response to “concerned librarian,” we enjoy reading mythology at our house. Our 8-year-old son has pretty much worn out his copy of Usborne Books’ Greek Myths. We have used the myths to teach our children the difference between false gods and the true and living God.

It’s possible our commenter is missing the point here. The problem with Jigsaw Jones is not that it presents ideas with which we disagree. The problem is that the book pooh-poohs theft and employs substandard dialogue. We are a long, long way from the Greek myths, in both historical and entertainment value.

And now for the not-so-grand finale:

I honestly think you are being judgmental, and should be careful about what you recommend or condemn. I can’t even begin to tell you how many “home-schooled” children or those from strict Christian schools have come to my classroom far behind with limited social skills. Be careful – you come off as very judgmental and pious.

At last it lands on the table – the “social skills” card – the grand, unanswerable argument against homeschooling!

Let’s follow the line of thought here – if it is a line – it’s more of a zig-zag, actually – but let’s try to follow it.

You decide not to give a book to your own child, in your own home, because said book fails to meet your literary and moral standards. You write about this. Therefore, you are being “judgmental.” This is obviously very, very bad.

So bad that it could lead to – limiting your children’s social skills! After all, everyone knows that sending a child to public school results in superior social skills. It is an irrefutable argument!

I can’t even begin to tell you how many public-school kids I’ve met who could barely hold up their end of a conversation or look me in the eye.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many homeschooled kids I’ve met who have been just the opposite – bright, engaged, articulate.

I found the comment’s sentence structure unclear, but it is possible that the commenter is also saying that in her experience, home-schooling puts kids behind public-schooled children academically. If so, the commenter’s experience is far from typical, as homeschoolers’ achievement levels typically equal or exceed those of their public-schooled counterparts.

I heartily agree with the commenter that we should be careful about what, and whom, we recommend and condemn.

For example, it might be unwise to condemn those who make reasonable decisions about bad books, for their own children, in their own homes — after all, that would be judgmental and pious!

On the other hand, we lose nothing, and stand to gain much, when we condemn raging mediocrities like Jigsaw Jones.

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Guinever here:

I’d really like to put this whole Jigsaw thing to rest, but the only way that will happen is if I delete my original post and then the later one, which I’m not going to do. When I read the latest comment to my husband, he said that’s a great one to pick apart.

I’m done responding, finished trying to explain myself , so I asked him if he would like to do it, and he jumped at the chance. As for Jigsaw on my blog, I promise this is the last time. I just refuse to do it anymore. I’ll spend time talking about books our family loves instead.