Official Review: Guardian by Greer alexis bacon

GKCfan · Post by **GKCfan** » 05 Sep 2015, 17:09

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Guardian" by Greer alexis bacon.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Official Review: Guardian: Where A Dream is Challenged, by Greer Alexis McMahon.

Guardian: Where A Dream is Challenged is a story that begins with WWII, where a young pilot forms a bond with his plane, Guardian. One day, Guardian starts leaking fuel, and the plane crashes, but the pilot is saved, and he credits Guardian for preserving his life and allowing him to come home safely. The pilot is sent to recover, and Guardian is sent to a junkyard along with countless other planes like her. While the other planes mourn their fate and prepare to be melted down, Guardian dreams of being reunited with her pilot and somehow flying again.

It is not clear if Guardian’s story is true, or a fictionalized tale based on real historical events. The story is certainly credible, but Guardian and the anonymous pilot could be standing in for multiple real people and planes.

Adults reading this story also need to be prepared to explain some difficult questions to the children who hear this story. The book opens with scenes of war, and parents, grandparents, and teachers need to find ways to explain what World War II was, why young men like the pilot were fighting, and to make it clear that far too many pilots like the one who flew Guardian never got to come home.

I do have a bit of a quibble with the moral of the story. Without spoiling the ending, the book’s final scenes provide the impression that you can get exactly what your heart wants most if you simply wish hard enough for it. In real life, children need to know that if they are ever to achieve a goal, or obtain something they deeply desire, they can’t just sit patiently and hope that that what they want will just happen. They need to take action to make their dreams come true. Granted, an anthropomorphic but immobile plane cannot move or do anything to help itself. Note that I believe that wishing and prayer are very different actions. The book opens with McMahon thanking God– perhaps if McMahon had ascribed more overtly religious motives to Guardian’s fate, placing the ultimate happy ending’s credit on prayer rather than mere Pollyanna-style hoping for the best, it would have created a very different reason for the plane getting what it wanted. As it stands, the plane has been anthromorphized, but it’s not clear whether or not Guardian has a soul.

This review would be incomplete without a mention of the lovely watercolors that illustrate the book. T.D. Smartgroupvn has created delightful work, and his paintings complement the story wonderfully.

I give this book three out of four stars.

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Guardian
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Heidi M Simone · Post by **Heidi M Simone** » 17 Sep 2015, 14:47

@GKCfan, I really enjoyed reading your review! I agree about teaching that wishing can get you what you want is unrealistic and probably not a good moral to teach children. If I were to read this to a child, I would definitely mention that reaching a goal/dream does take work and action.

Guardian sounds like a very interesting read, so I'm absolutely adding it to my to-read list! Thank you!