Official Review: I know who i am by Mamie Turner

[AA1495]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I know who i am" by Mamie Turner.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Mimi was constantly bullied for being bald and having dark skin. While she tried to ignore the bullies, she was curious about why people were created differently. When she asked her grandmother about it, her grandmother repeated verses from the Bible. At a young age, she did not understand most of what her grandmother said. However, she knew that God loved her.

A few years later, Mimi’s family had a new guest – evangelist Macie, who was renting a room at their house. It would not be wrong to say that the evangelist’s wisdom, support and guidance shaped the rest of Mimi’s life. The evangelist gave Mimi the confidence boost that she needed, asked her to pray for all her bullies and gave her a leadership role in the youth ministry. The rest of the book describes Mimi’s spiritual journey and how she used the negative experiences in her life to help motivate other people.

I know who I am by Mamie Turner undoubtedly has a strong anti-bullying message. To be honest, the message is not unique. Growing up, I have come across numerous anti-bullying campaigns, have read books about it and have even seen movies that revolve around the theme. However, what made the book stand out for me was the way in which the message was communicated. The author did not directly state that bullying was bad. Instead, she described the insecurities and the grief that victims of bullying face. These descriptions felt extremely real and honest. Although I did not personally know Mimi, I could feel her pain and wanted to make her feel better.

The author has poured her heart into this book and it shows. Once I began reading the book, I did not want to put it down till the very last page. However, I wish the amazing content was accompanied by professional editing. What confused me the most was that numerous pages were dedicated to pictures, in the middle of the book. The rest of the book contained only text. This placement seemed random and came as a surprise to me. If not spread across the book, I would have expected the pictures to be either at the beginning or at the end of the book. Further, I found numerous minor grammatical errors. Although they did not interrupt my flow of reading, they were noticeable. I believe that another round of editing can do wonders for this book.

Overall, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. With a strong female protagonist, a gripping plot, numerous pictures and a heartfelt message, this book seems to have all the ingredients of a perfect children’s book. However, the editing leaves a lot to be desired, and hence, I cannot give the book a perfect rating. This book should be read by both, children and adults, for its incredible message. In particular, I would recommend the book to children who are victims of bullying, because it serves as a great reminder that true beauty lies in the soul.

******
I know who i am
View: on Bookshelves

[kandscreeley]

I love that the author showed why bullies bully instead of just condemning it. I I mean it is wrong, but the bullies themselves have insecurities that they face as well. It sounds like a good message and a fun story. It's too bad about the editing. Thanks for sharing!

[Magnify3]

Touching story. I remember being particularly afraid of one particular older child in primary school. It can be crippling to live in fear as a child because you are afraid of being bullied all the time. Thanks for the review!

[Laila Hashem]

I always thought that the anti-bullying themes were a bit overdone, but the fact that spirituality comes into play in this story makes it more interesting. Great review!