Customer Reviews

What Stories Does My Son Need? A Guide to Books and Movies that Build Character in Boys

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is a small-but-potent guide to finding positive entertainment amid all the negativity and violence that's in the movies and television today. I'll take Gurian's suggestions over Doom or the WWF anytime. It outlines 100 movies and 100 books for all age ranges, and my family has benefited from it.

A wonderful list. Yes, as other reviewers point out, there is 'nothing new here'. But parents today are bombarded with books and videos for kids and don't often have time to sift through them all as thoughtfully as the authors have done here. They've done a wonderful job of reviewing stories we know and love from a boy's perspective. My 6 year old gets way too much pressure to act like a girl, I'm grateful for movie & book reviews that acknowledge not just that it's ok to be a boy, but actually quite wonderful. The discussion questions may not be the ones you want to ask, but they get you thinking along the right lines.

I find this book useful in choosing movies for my son and in pulling out character building topics to discuss with him. This book acknowledges that boys connect with media and gives specific ideas how parents can USE that power rather than simply be subject to it. I do have to agree with the other reviewers, I'd like to see more; a little more depth and an updated version to include more recent books and movies.

This book has great age-appropriate movie and book suggestions. The topics of discussion have been very useful for us... our 5 year old son now specfically asks us to pause the movie or book so that he can get clarification regarding the concepts or words he does not understand. On the inside cover, I jot down the newer books or movies that strike me as being potentially inspiring for my son in the future. I REALLY wish Mr. Gurian would write a version of this book for girls! I have had to start my own list for my daughter.

I was disappointed at this slim volume that includes a lot of well-known titles. It feels like it was quickly thrown together to take advantage of the current interest in boys. I'd expect more from Gurian.

I didn't really find this book to be that helpful. It was a good idea, but not well executed, and to be most effective, it really needs to be updated on a regular basis. If you don't really know much about books for boys, maybe it could help you make some decisions. And maybe you will end up choosing a lot of books your son isn't interested in and won't read. Use caution.

I wish I'd found this book years ago when my sons were very young--these reviews of movies and books work as the basis for teaching, conversation, and discussion with boys from toddler to young adult. Great resource for parents of boys--get it when they are young, though--the time for sharing flies by all too soon. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed reading the author's suggestions for movies, however, I was confused why the author would include the movie Forrest Gump in the category for 4th to 6th grade. There are some scenes in the movie that are definitely not age-appropriate to that group. A mistake? Therefore you may need to judge for yourself each of the movies suggested and not show them to your children without previewing them yourself.

This book is an excellent idea. However, the authors left out what I have found to be the best one for our sons AND OUR DAUGHTERS. Add the book, "West Point" by Norman Thomas Remick to your list (in fact, this should be first as it gives the basics). It's a veritable education in character and leadership.

I love Amazon's Search Inside the Book feature but in this case is it doing the author any favors when it lists most of the books (listed by age group) which he suggests are appropriate? If you can see the books and movies, why buy the book?

ALso, just by glancing over the contents I could see which movies would work for my kids and which they'd seen or didn't like. This was enough to convince me that the book had nothing new to say to me that I hadn't already seen by using this feature.

Sorry. But that's my take.