Jason Turns 10
By Norman Savinelli
Monica Reads
Review By Monica Drahonovsky
“Where young boys grow up unseen by the rest of the world, untouched by the good things that go on around them, where mothers disappear and then die, where baby sisters are taken away, and boys are blamed for things they didn’t do.” Jason is crying and cannot be consoled.
The above statement, while found in the middle of the new book Jason Turns 10, is the best way to define what the book is about.
Monica Drahonovsky
From the beginning of the book, the author pulls the reader into the world of the very dysfunctional family that Jason belongs to. His imagination is his only salvation to which he can retreat with his baby sister Gracie and find some kind of normalcy, light and sanity.
The author Norman Savinelli is writing for a youth audience. Why? Well, the world of dysfunction in families creates scary places for young people to live. How did this happen? Who is to blame? How to correct such serious dysfunction?
For the young people living and experiencing this kind of life, the author offers hope. For the youth who are not experiencing this kind of trauma, it is a guide to empathy.
Understanding a friend or individual in this dismal dilemma makes everyone think more compassionately. Maybe offering a helping hand or a pat on the back would be the best thing to do. Everyone needs to find the way to adulthood. If a young person is in a dysfunctional family or even one that looks normal, we all need help, guidance, understanding, and little miracles of a smile or kind word. No one knows what experiences other have to deal with.
This is a sad book to read, but a great book for kids to read so they all understand that young people all go through bad experiences. Kids need to know that growth only comes through trial and error, mistakes and corrections. If you have a bad feeling about saying specific words or doing some action, then you probably should follow your gut and not say the words or do the action. Hope for the future is a human goal and holding onto hope is what the author is telling us to all do.
You will find this book on Kindle. The author writes for a young audience, but I think the knowledge imparted is even more important for all parents of children, young or older. Sometimes adults forget they went through similar experiences when they were young and need a refresher course.
You will love Jason. You will see dysfunction in a different way once you read this engaging, well-written book. You might cry a little. You will learn a lot. You will be okay with your limitations. You will try harder to think empathetically and with compassion for our fellow travelers. Please read this book!
Monica Reads is InDepthNH.org’s latest column. It is written by Monica Drahonovsky who is known for her love of history and her lifelong love for reading. She has a bachelor’s degree in History, with a minor in English, along with teaching credentials. “My years of reading for leisure and pleasure have given me the insight to read a book and analyze the author’s baggage, cargo and ability to write the language of his/her mind and utilize the gift of prose to educate and entertain the reader. Go get a book, read it and enjoy the adventure.” Contact Monica at mawest@tds.net.