Review: January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her

Author:  Michael Schofield

Genre:  Memoir (2012)

Descriptive Words:  Childhood schizophrenia, hallucinations, imaginary friends, hospitalization, violence

About:  Michael Schofield gives a heartbreaking and shocking glimpse into parenting a schizophrenic child. His 6-year-old daughter, January (Janni), is diagnosed with childhood onset schizophrenia after two years of misdiagnoses and inpatient stays, and being discharged despite lack of improvement. The family's journey is wrought with desperation and denial. Told first to simply provide "tough love" and stricter boundaries, the Schofields were forced to face the reality of schizophrenia when Janni indicated the constant presence of imaginary friends and demonstrated a desire to harm her newborn brother, with a clear inability to control herself.

My thoughts:  If not for life interrupting, I'd have finished this almost 300-pager in one sitting. Still, I read it in two days. Schofield's writing had me completely riveted. Having worked in Adult and Child Psychiatry for 15 years, I appreciate immensely the difficult task of loving a child with schizophrenia. I saw only from the perimeter what Schofield lived every day. Parents vacillate from wanting to help their child to wanting to institutionalize them, primarily because of the violence inflicted on themselves and others. With no cure in sight for this nightmarish illness, parents and families of loved ones afflicted should be applauded; there is no harder job in the world.

My friends and family rely on me for 5-star book recommendations so as not to waste time on less than stellar reads.  I'll be recommending this - my favorite book of the year so far - to everyone I know.

Rating:  5/5 

Thank you to Crown Publishing/Random House for this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Circus Fire ~ Stewart O'Nan

Stewart O'Nan
Non-Fiction (2001)

5/5  My Rating

True story of the Ringling Brothers circus tent fire in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 6, 1944, that killed 167 people, most of them women and children.

I didn't like Circus Fire at first.  I felt dragged down by all the details that I didn't think mattered, but as I got sucked into the story, realized they did and wished I'd paid closer attention.  There were so many, and the book was so long, that I had to renew it through the library twice.  Normally if I take that long to read a book I give up and return it, but I couldn't let go of this one and didn't want it to end.  Pictures of the fire itself as well as the aftermath had me going back to match them up with the parts of the story I was reading. I couldn't stop staring at the picture of Little Miss 1565 in the morgue, a blond little girl who for years was never properly identified despite tireless work by detectives.

I read O'Nan's book A Prayer for the Dying, a dark story that I thought was well written - odd but intriguing - so his name was familiar to me when I picked this up.  I'd like to read more of his work.  This and the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks are two of the most well-researched books I've ever read.

Review: Without a Word: How a Boy's Unspoken Love Changed Everything

Title:  Without a Word:  How a Boy's Unspoken Love Changed Everything

Author:  Jill Kelly

Genre:  Memoir/Christian Biography (September 2010)

About:  Football star Jim Kelly and his wife Jill find out their infant son has a rare, fatal illness and is expected to survive for only 14 months. This is the story of how Hunter Kelly, who succumbed to Krabbe Leukodystrophy at the age of 8, changed their lives forever.

Thoughts:  Absolutely loved this story. Jilly Kelly does a fabulous job of opening her heart, her life, her marriage, her struggles, and her reality to readers. Several pages of pictures are included, which is always my favorite part. I'm a visual person, so to be able to read the story and see the pictures made it all the more heartbreaking and inspirational. The book is faith-based, and I enjoyed reading about Jim Kelly's transformation from philanderer to faithful servant.

Source:  Library

Why I Chose:  This was everything I love in a book all wrapped in one - medical-related, sad but inspirational, lots of pictures, memoir, sports.

Recommend?  Yes, definitely.

Rating: 5/5

Reading Now:

Up Next:

Reviews Cruise - Join Me! / Denial ~ Asta in the Wings ~ Knowing Jesse

Reviews stockpiled?  Bored with the same 'ol same 'ol?  Love reading but not too keen on writing reviews? Yeah, me too. So I thought I'd go on a Reviews Cruise to liven things up, relieve the pressure, and make more time for reading.  Short but sweet and a few at a time.  Sounds like a vacation, doesn't it? 

(Want to cruise with me?  See details at end of post.)
Denial

Jessica Stern is the author of this memoir published in June 2010.  It's about the author's rape at age 15 by a stranger at gunpoint in her own home.  Her 14-year-old sister was also raped. The police were skeptical of their story and the rapist was never caught. Interestingly, the author now works as an expert on terrorists and terrorism.  Overall I thought the book was okay.  I liked the psychological and PTSD aspect of the story, as well as the how, when, where and what happened. I liked how she related her father's trauma and after-effects of his being a Holocaust survivor to hers. PTSD is real, and I'm intrigued by the way people process trauma and how it shapes their lives forever. It was interesting that the author became a terrorist expert because, as she says, she was "fascinated by the secret motivations of violent men, and I'm good at ferreting them out." After the violent rape at age 15, she experienced an unusual reaction to fear; situations that most people would find terrifying caused her to retain her composure, become curious and empathetic. This "ability" created a perfect environment for making terrorists feel comfortable and getting them to talk. What I didn't like was how the author came across. I know it has much to do with the rape and subsequent PTSD - but her resentment, mostly towards her father, made her come across as unlikeable and emotionless. I felt bad for her father against whom she obviously still holds a grudge for not coming home from overseas immediately after the incident. He admits he didn't know what to do or how to help, but it happened 30 years ago. There's nothing he can do to change that. I also didn't like that she dragged him into the book so much at the end, detailing their "interview", when he obviously wasn't happy she wrote the book in the first place. I do hope she found healing from writing this book.

I won this book from NerdGirl in a contest, which I entered because I had seen the title around, heard good things about it and was interested in the topic.  I don't know if I'd recommend this book to my friends.  For me it was just okay and I rated it 3.5 / 5

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Knowing Jesse:  A Mother's Story of Grief, Grace, and Everyday Bliss


Marianne Leone is the author of this memoir published in September 2010.  It's about a woman and her husband and life with their son who was born with severe cerebral palsy and quadriplegia, was unable to speak and had severe seizures.  He died suddenly at age 17.  Overall I loved it.  I liked her writing style and the emotional, honest story she told. She admitted her shortcomings and came across as real but likeable. The love she had for her son was overwhelming, protective and beautiful.  She fought courageously for him to receive the best medical care, the best support system and caretakers, and the best education available.  There wasn't anything about this book I didn't like. 

I got this book from the library and chose it because of the synopsis and because I love memoirs.  I'm a sucker for stories about mothers and their children and how they are able to see the blessings in a situation others may see as a burden.  I would definitely recommend this book to friends and I rated it 5/5.
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Asta in the Wings

Jan Elizabeth Watson is the author of this novel published in February 2009.  It's about a 7-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother who are kept in their boarded-up home by their mentally ill mother, who tells them she is protecting them from germs and "the plague." The story is told from 7-year-old Asta's point of view.  Overall I really liked it.  I liked how the mother encouraged her children to have a rich and creative imagination. She was cool in a weird way. Or weird in a cool way. Her children were "home-schooled" by watching and reciting line after line of old movies on TV, stemming from the mother's desire - and fueled by her delusions - to become an actress. She was quite a character :)  I loved Asta's spunk and determination, her willingness to overcome obstacles, her love for her brother, Orion, and her unconditional love for her mother, who did the best she could for her children despite her mental illness.  At first I wasn't sure I'd like this book. It was quirky and a little bizarre at the beginning. But once I got to know the children better and fell in love with the writing - the author paid great attention to detail but kept everything so on track - I didn't want it to end.  The only thing I didn't like and what kept it from being 5 stars was the ending, which was too abrupt for my taste.

I got this book from the library and chose it because Rebecca from ccq designs, a friend on Goodreads, gave it 5 stars, something she rarely does.  I had to check it out.  I also chose it because I'm intrigued by all things related to mental illness, child abuse and social issues.  I would recommend this to any of my friends, especially if they like quirky little books that normally they wouldn't pick up.  I rated it
4.5 / 5.

I don't have a button, but feel free to "take" your own Reviews Cruise and link up if you'd like.  Just mention my blog at http://lynnesbookreviews.blogspot.com  (copy and paste that there url). You can use my review format (provided below) or your own.  Remember, this is a stress-free, no pressure cruise, so make it simple and easy.   I'm button-challenged so this cruise is button-free :)

____________ is the author of this _______(genre) published in _____________.  It's about _______.  Overall I _______.  I liked ____________.  I didn't like __________.  I got this book from _______ and chose it because ___________ I would/wouldn't recommend this book.  I rated it ___________.

No cruise?  That's okay.  Would love to hear comments about the books I reviewed.

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle / Pookster and the Unloose Tooth

Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle
By Rhonda Funk
Illustrations by Eric Kieninger

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 16 pages
Publisher: Fish Pond Kids; Pap/Cdr edition (September 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1935265415
ISBN-13: 978-1935265412
Price: $11.99

(From Amazon) "This silly story about an over-protective pickle eater teaches a valuable lesson on kindness and how our sweet words glorify God, but our sour words hurt people."

Pookster loves pickles. One day while eating one, she is so sure her little brother Bubs and his plastic G.I. Joe's are going to attack and steal her pickle that she yells at him. Mom sees the interaction and steps in, threatening to take her beloved pickle. She takes Pookster aside and gently reminds her what the Bible says hurtful words can do.

I get that a child might be in love with pickles. But I found it a little unbelievable that she would think her brother and his G.I. Joe's were planning an attack to steal her pickle when all he was doing was setting them up. I thought that was a little far-fetched.

What I enjoyed about the book was the Christian message of speaking kind words to one another, and the way the author used siblings to portray this. To solidify the message, the Proverbs bible verse, around which the story is based, is the focus of the last page. I thought the font used throughout the book was adorable, as were the illustrations.

Overall it was a cute story, but I probably would not have chosen it off the shelf. Thank you to Bring It On Communications for sending me this book for review, for which I was not compensated.

3/5 Stars

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Pookster and the Unloose Tooth
by Rhonda Funk
Illustrations by Eric Kieninger

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 16 pages
Publisher: Fish Pond Kids; Pap/Cdr edition (September 1, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1935265407
ISBN-13: 978-1935265405
Price: $11.99
Kindle version (available March 15, 2010): $2.99

Every kid looks forward to losing their first tooth, but reading the first page of this book gave me the willies! Pookster talks about how loose she and her brother like their teeth to be before they pull them out. "My brother Bubs likes to let his teeth be loose forever (you know until they are just hanging there)..." Ewww, does that bring back memories.

The message in this series is about God's timing. I thought this story was funnier and more realistic than Pookster and the Practically Perfect Pickle. When Pookster finally loses her two front teeth, she is upset that while eating spaghetti noodles she can't stop because she can't cut them off, and when she eats apples she leaves rows. It made me laugh.

Again, I loved the message, the font and the illustrations. I probably would have chosen this book off the shelf had I not been sent this review copy by Bring It On Communications. I was not compensated for this review.

4/5 Stars

Each book comes with a CD audio version for read-along, which is great for young readers.

Author Info (from Amazon):

Rhonda (Stafford) Funk was born on the outskirts of Seattle, Washington and grew up in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in the beautiful Snoqualmie Valley. At the age of three she started playing the piano by ear and wrote her first song at the age of fifteen. Becoming a Christian in her late twenties, Rhonda began creating CDs and traveling, sharing her music and testimony across the nation.

Nearly a decade later she met best-selling author and speaker Sheri Rose Shepherd who encouraged her to follow through on writing a book series for kids. Besides her Pookster and Bubs™ series, Rhonda is also writing a book to encourage caregivers called "Who Cares For the Caregiver" (through her experience as a caregiver when her husband had cancer) and a book to minister those dealing with unexpected pregnancies called "The Truth About The Choice."