Uncle Arthurs Bedtime Stories: Book 2

I'd rate these stories very high for storytelling, but also very high for their horror content. I know that the author meant well, but as a very young boy many of them were disturbingly scary and horrifying. For example, the "A mother's love" theme. In one story, a mountain climber is buried under untold tons of rock from a landslide. His mother steadfastly stands by for as long as it takes workers to uncover his body from the huge pile of rubble. And by the end of the story, the workers had hardly made a dent in that pile of rubble. The message was supposed to show the steadfast dedication of a mother. But for me, I had nightmares about being buried alive with no hope of timely rescue for many years afterwords. In another story on this theme, we read about a dirt-poor mother with a sick baby, a cat, and a lone oil lamp to provide light. She leaves her house to get medicine for her sick baby, but leaves the baby, cat, and oil lamp behind. (She'd be charged with child neglect today, but Uncle Arthur thought of her as devoted and loving.) The cat, of course, knocks over the lamp and starts the house ablaze. The mother returns to see her home a blazing inferno. Her love gives her the strength to push the firemen aside and rush into the house. Her body was found wrapped lovingly around her baby, but both had burned to death in the blaze. There are others that try to illustrate love, dedication, and devotion but for me they only caused horrific and recurring nightmares for years afterword. I dimly recall many other stories that were indeed uplifting and educational. But beware. Tales of burning to death in a blazing fire, being crushed to death under tons of jagged boulders, and other horrific scenarios might very well illuminate the moral for an adult. However, impressionable young children with active imaginations might find them illuminating their deepest and most horrifying fears instead.

If you are Christian, this set of books is a wonderful way of providing an excellent example of good, moral behavior. My 3 year old son listens to them most nights before bed. It is amazing what he takes away from them - not least of which is a deep abiding faith. One day, while playing baseball, he lost his ball. I was in the garden and had no idea where it went. He looked and looked and couldn't find it. I was amazed to see him then get on his knees and pray - "God, please help me find my baseball". Unbelievable as it may be, within seconds, he found his ball. One mightthink that is a small, silly thing BUT it is one of many things that has had a profound, positive impact on my son's belief in God. My only negative comment is that if the stories are read to the very young, such as my son, the reader needs to carefully select as some of the stories illustrate rather graphically, severe consequences. My final comment is that one of the previous reviewer's complained about the Christian doctrine in the book. True. It is Christian. I too get upset by the harsh tone of some of the doctrine - however - the book is intended for bedtime as is stated in the title. Since I don't know of too many public schools where children sleep, I am not overly concerned. I believe the positive values of honesty, self-reliance, obedience and earnestness far outweigh the occasional lapses into harsh Christian doctrine.

If you have ever doubted that God takes a hand directly in the lives of children, or that he tramples out the grapes of wrath among them, or that punishment for greed and vanity is swift, sure, inevitable and irrevocable, or that compassion is like a great, warm mother, read Uncle Arthur. His stories have the power to rivet children to the spot. They know he is talking about them. Each story is a moral or Biblical lesson entire. For example, Johann is driven out of the house into the snow on Christmas Eve by "an angry and brutal stepfather." Turned away from fine, large houses, where do you think he finds unquestioning and loving mercy? The cottage of a poor old woman. "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My chldren..."