Official Review: One for the Griffins by Terri Martin

[HRichards]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "One for the Griffins" by Terri Martin.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Children are often forced to deal with circumstances that they struggle to understand. Death, stress, and disappointment are all things that children are not immune to. In One for the Griffins by Terri Martin, young baseball player Cam navigates having to deal with the death of his father.

Cam is in a baseball slump after his father dies. Unable to even get on base, Cam is angry and at a loss in how to deal with his problems. Bill Dawson, the new groundskeeper, offers Cam a job helping him renovate the neglected baseball field that Cam’s team plays on. Forging a friendship with Cam, Mr. Dawson is able to help the young boy deal with his loneliness. Mr. Dawson becomes an adult male figure that Cam can relate to after his father’s passing. Can Cam end his baseball dry spell?

I ended up giving One for the Griffins 4 out of 4 stars. Young readers should be able to understand Cam’s frustrations and problems. Mr. Dawson is a kind adult who helps Cam figure out how to work through his issues, and he gives Cam a way to focus his frustrations into something constructive. Children will understand Cam’s angry reactions to his troubles. Mr. Dawson doesn’t get angry at Cam’s outbursts, but he gently tries to lead the boy in a way that he can deal with his anger. The illustrations in the book are appealing, and they seem to evoke a cartoon style. There was only one grammar error that I could find in the whole book. Everything is well written and appealing.

The only issue I had with the book is that the ending seems a bit abrupt. I might have added a line or two just to wrap things up a little cleaner at the end, but other than that I had no complaints. Young readers should like the shortness of the book, and parents should like the message the story tells.

One for the Griffins provides emerging readers with a story that reflects some of the unpredictability and difficulty of being young. It also gives a positive message of hope in working through your struggles. I highly recommend the book as a good example of positive role models and the impact they have on young lives.

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One for the Griffins
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Like HRichards's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Ellylion]

I believe this book touches on a very important issue and is able to help a kid to overcome a feeling of loss and other difficulties. Must be a useful read for parents and teachers as well. Thank you for the review!

[kandscreeley]

Unfortunately, this is a theme that's needed in our children's books today. I hope it can help some deal with grief and loss. It's not for me, as I'm not in the age group, nor do I have children. I appreciate your review anyway. Thanks!

[HRichards]

I believe this book touches on a very important issue and is able to help a kid to overcome a feeling of loss and other difficulties. Must be a useful read for parents and teachers as well. Thank you for the review!

It was a good way to deal with grief that wasn't heavy handed. I appreciated that.

[Stephanie Elizabeth]

This looks like a really positive read for kids grappling with feelings of loss and grief. I like that the main character is given a job to do during his rough period. I, myself find when I am going through a tough time physical labor is very therapeutic.

Great review!

[spencermack]

Always looking for books to guide my students through frustrations. Having characters they can connect with is essential to building lifelong readers! Thanks for the great review!

[ElizaBeth Adams]

It's never too early to start teaching children coping skills for when they go through a rough time, as unfortunately they will soon enough. It's also a good reminder to everyone that if we choose to be a positive influence, we can make a powerful impact on the young people in our lives. This sounds like a good book, and you wrote a great review. Thanks.

[HRichards]

It's never too early to start teaching children coping skills for when they go through a rough time, as unfortunately they will soon enough. It's also a good reminder to everyone that if we choose to be a positive influence, we can make a powerful impact on the young people in our lives. This sounds like a good book, and you wrote a great review. Thanks.

Thank you! It was a good message without being too saccharine.

[Dentarthurdent]

It's very sad that children are not immune to 'death, stress, and disappointment,' as you've put it. It's good to know that there are good books out there to help children with these unfortunate situations. Good review!

[Prisallen]

This sounds like a wonderful book for children to read to learn to cope with life's problems. Thanks for a wonderful review!