Using Common Sense

In my opinion, one of the most challenging aspects of being in a book club like ours is choosing the books. These days alone, given the vast ( and growing) selection in stores and libraries, it can be an overwhelming and daunting task. Add to that, the desire to choose a book that has age appropriate content and can capture the interest of both adult and pre-teen, choosing the right book for a book club is no simple task. I often rely on Amazon reader reviews and recommendations. But, I have also found another source for book reviews that I thought I'd pass along if you ever find yourself looking for a review on books you are unsure of: commonsensemedia.org. What I like about this website is their philosophy and beliefs regarding helping parents make informed choices over the the media their children interact with. From the website:

Media is fun and our kids love it. We also know that kids now spend so much of their time absorbing its messages and images that it has become "the other parent" in their lives. We started this organization because we know families need trustworthy information to help manage their kids' media lives.

among their top 10 Common Sense Beliefs:

3. We believe in teaching our kids to be savvy media interpreters - we can't cover their eyes but we can teach them to see.

I like that!

Although the organization does not write reviews from a "Christian" perspective, as a Christian, I can appreciate the reviews as a starting point for filtering media through my biblical worldview because they consider many of the same values I look at when discerning appropriate media for my children. I hope you find this source as useful as I have. Whether you are wondering if that book your daughter has brought home from the school library has any objectionable content or if the latest movie release they are begging to see will have you squirming in your seat over an inappropriate scene, being informed, as a parent, is always the best place to start.