Author Review

Lurlene McDaniel writes books for teens; aka, Young Adults. They have been touted as being inspirational. I found them terribly, terribly depressing. The first of her books that I read was about a teenager with a rare cancer. It delves into suicide, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.

Many of her other books deal with other non-curable cancers, auto accidents that leave the driver in a vegetative state, etc.

Oh, lest I forget, how about the new teacher who dresses like a sex-pot and sets her sights on one of her freshman students? Of course all of her male students have their eye on her. She seduces the selected student. Eventually, the relationship is outed. I expected the book to deal with the growth of the boy as he gets past the incident. Instead, three years later, after he graduates, becomes an adult...he looks her up. The book leaves no doubt that he becomes the predator.

Lurlene McDaniel's website: http://www.randomhouse.com/features/lurlene/

Parents, It is not the purpose or job of your public library to become a censor. You have that job. Please be aware of what your children are reading. Read some of the books that they are bringing home. An honest, sincere discussion can help to put books like these in their proper perspective.

The Daingerfield Public Library has a few of McDaniel's books, but not all of them.