Signs and Wonders from Our Journals [Paperback]

Carole Duncan Buckman (Author), Carole Duncan Buckman (Author), Michael Wilt (Editor)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Meet Michael, Louise, Jenny, Toby, and Ben as they talk with God about the ups and downs of being who they are: middle school students. Each has struggles to cope with, lessons to learn, and a spirit taking shape.
* Like most of us, Michael is a lot more than he says he is, "only one sorry, skinny kind, easy to forget." He gets suspended from school, but he is a true friend.
* Louise learns to measure herself by more than whether she has stuck to her diet.
* And everyone learns that "Jen, Jen, Jenny" has a lot more going for her than being a cheerleader.
* Toby argues with God because he feels abandoned: "Shifty-eyed, am I? Well, Lord, I have to watch for the next attack, don't I? They're all after me."
* Meanwhile, Ben's anger at his father makes him think that he's a loser.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Carole Duncan Buckman started writing this book as a model journal for middle school students in religion class. Soon the character Michael took over, and the rest of the story developed from there. This story-journal will inspire and instruct young people in their search for identity and knowledge of God. It will also inspire and instruct those who work with young people to better appreciate the struggles and triumphs of the spirit that young people face each day.

About the Author

Carole Duncan Buckman has taught middle school for thirty years and recently retired as teacher and librarian from Saint Ignatius Martyr School. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Saint Mary's Press (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0884895327
• ISBN-13: 978-0884895329
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,711,373 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best, January 27, 2005

By 

Claudette Kane (Austin, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Signs and Wonders from Our Journals (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book. It is written for kids of youth book age, but the warm happiness it exudes made it a pleasure for me to read myself. Parents and teachers of religious education will want to recommend the book because they'll see it as a way for kids of religious background to develop a closer relationship with God. The story is told by young characters, who are writing in their teen diaries, sharing their thoughts with God. I wish my own children had read this book in their teens, learning to bring their worries, hopes, and their new self-understanding into a conversation with God.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Special Appeal to Parents and Adults Working with Pre-teens, November 18, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Signs and Wonders from Our Journals (Paperback)

Signs and Wonders from Our Journals is a rare gem geared to the pre-teen engulfed in that "who am I? - doesn't anybody understand?" stage. Through the journals of a diverse group of middle-school students, young readers discover that nobody has it easy, and that they are not alone. While Buckman's book appeals to these kids, perhaps more importantly, it offers a unique and profound insight to adult readers.

Signs & Wonders from our Journals is a powerful testament to the value of journal writing both as a coping mechanism and as a personal and spiritual growth tool. As we read their journal entries, we recognize milestones in the lives of each character, and tag along as they discover the lessons of life.

The real value of this book for the adult reader is in Buckman's ability to transport us back to the awkward and often painful world of adolescence, and to help reacquaint us with the emotional roller coaster of growing up. Any adult struggling to understand the seemingly random and irrational behavior and thought processes of a middle-school child will appreciate the insightful quality of this book.

Adults and pre-teens alike will enjoy this book. I highly recommend it as an important resource for counselors, religious education instructors, and other youth leaders using journal writing as a personal growth tool for kids.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Novel for Young Adults (and Their Parents!), June 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Signs and Wonders from Our Journals (Paperback)

Author Carole Buckman has done an amazing thing-- she has entered the scary place of the young adult's experience and invited her readers in for some quality time. In her new novel, Signs and Wonders From Our Journals, readers get to invade the lives of several middle school-aged kids by reading their secret journals. As one reads these journal entries, stereotypes and preconceptions about pre-teens fade away, leaving only real human beings with real problems. The challenges these students survive (obese parents, fear of being dumb, the results of cruel practical jokes on other people) are not contrived, but reminders of the universal (and ageless) human struggle. Instead of focusing exclusively on what we think pre-teens worry about (being popular, making cheerleader), Buckman focuses on deeper questions that concern every human (who am I? where do I fit in this world? how do I know God?). Mostly, this book will engage readers because it tells wonderful and hopeful stories about people helping people and learning to survive in an imperfect world. Although this book could be used wonderfully in Sunday School classes as a fun teaching tool, don't be afraid to give it to any non-religious middle schooler, boy or girl. Not only will they (and their parents) find it a delightful read, they'll also feel, perhaps, a little less alone after meeting the characters. A fabulous investment that gives me hope for our childrens' futures.