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Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth

This book is difficult to categorize as it appears to be written for a target audience of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade but has content which makes it inappropriate for that age.  A border who becomes pregnant by a man she just met and who happens to be in and out of jail because he steals, and a grandmother who is prone to cursing and taking the Lord’s name in vain are a few issues of concern.  None of the book’s characters use proper grammar, including the teacher.   The story is about a 10 year old girl named Mary Mae, who is excited about the wonders of science and particularly about the fossils and dinosaur unit they are studying in school.  Her parents are fundamentalist Christians who consider their interpretation of the Bible to be scientific proof that the world is only 6 thousand years old.  When Mary Mae questions this, her mother withdraws her from school to “home school her Bible”.  In the end, Mary Mae’s mother is convinced to let her return to school but the resolution is weak.  I do not recommend this book.