Review: A Solstice Tree for Jenny
By AtheistDad
of AtheistParents.org
Among atheist parents, those of us who grew up steeped in the traditions and beliefs of religious holidays often have a hard time letting go of these traditions for our own sake and the sakes of our children. In A Solstice Tree for Jenny, Karen Shragg addresses just the opposite -- non-religious parents who have deprived their child of the magic of the holiday season. Jenny, whose archaeologist parents usually whisk her to foreign lands over the winter holiday, is home for her first winter season and notices that her house, devoid of lights and decorations, looks barren and sad compared to the houses of her neighbors. After learning from her parents that they decline to decorate because of the religious significance of the holidays, she consults an improbably impartial teacher, who lets her borrow a book about Solstice. As a result, Jenny and her parents discuss their beliefs and begin working on a plan to create their own holiday traditions.
While A Solstice Tree for Jenny isn't as cute or fun a read for adults as many children's books are, it lays good groundwork for families searching for their own holiday significance. The book illustrates some of the core values of humanism and showcases ways in which these values can be applied to a season of giving and celebration. And it provides a solution to the question of how, without compromising your own values, to prevent non-religious children from being alienated when all the other children are celebrating their religious holidays.
As a new (comparatively) and relevant text, Shragg's book is definitely worth checking into, particularly for parents who have an urge to commemorate the holidays without compromising their secular beliefs.
Book Specifications
50 pages
Black and white illustrations throughout
Paperback $12
ISBN 1-57392-930-1
Publication: 2001, Prometheus Books
By AtheistDad
of AtheistParents.org
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While A Solstice Tree for Jenny isn't as cute or fun a read for adults as many children's books are, it lays good groundwork for families searching for their own holiday significance. The book illustrates some of the core values of humanism and showcases ways in which these values can be applied to a season of giving and celebration. And it provides a solution to the question of how, without compromising your own values, to prevent non-religious children from being alienated when all the other children are celebrating their religious holidays.
As a new (comparatively) and relevant text, Shragg's book is definitely worth checking into, particularly for parents who have an urge to commemorate the holidays without compromising their secular beliefs.
Book Specifications
50 pages
Black and white illustrations throughout
Paperback $12
ISBN 1-57392-930-1
Publication: 2001, Prometheus Books
January 26, 2003