Book Review: You are Special

 

Too often, people underestimate the power of storybooks for children. Adults may dismiss these stories as too simplistic, thinking they could never relate to a story meant for young children. But I’m not exaggerating when I say that this book has changed my life.

 

General book info

You are Special is set in a village of wooden people called Wemmicks. The woodcarver, Eli, makes all of the Wemmicks in his workshop, and no two are alike. They spend their days putting stickers on each other; stars go to the popular, beautiful Wemmicks, while those with rough and chipped paint receive dots. Punchinello, the main character, is so clumsy and awkward that other Wemmicks constantly give him dots. No matter how hard he tries to be smart or funny or jump high in the air like the others, he still messes up. After meeting the Wemmick Lucia and Eli the woodcarver, however, Punchinello makes an important discovery.

 

Why I love this book

From the beginning, readers can identify with our clumsy protagonist. We all know what it feels like to not live up to others’ expectations for us. Our continued “failures” can make us feel so discouraged that we begin to withdraw and put ourselves down, as Punchinello does. This could also be a criticism of the book, though, since Punchinello clearly exists so the reader can substitute him or herself into the story. I happen to like this aspect, however.

Lucado not only provides a character audiences can identify with, but the inclusion of the dot and star stickers provides an important commentary on the judgments of others. The stars and dots stick because the wemmics care about what others think of them, illustrating how people take to heart criticism and praise alike from others. The Wemmick Lucia does not have any stickers because she has decided they don’t define whether she is a good or bad person.

In the end, Punchinello discovers that it matters not what the other Wemmicks think of him because they are just the same as him. He learns that Eli thinks he’s pretty special, simply because he made Punchinello. Here, we see a strong religious message in the text. The loving craftsman comforts the little Wemmick by telling him all that matters is Eli loves him. In fact, Eli has been waiting for Punchinello to come to him, similar to how God invites people to get to know Him.

My favorite part of the story is Eli’s statement that it will take time for Punchinello to get rid of the marks the other Wemmicks have left on him. Again, this is a parallel with the real world, since emotional scars do not just disappear simply because a person has gotten to know God or has been reminded that they are loved and important. Punchinello’s journey is just beginning.

 

Bottom Line

Through Punchinello, the author reminds readers that we matter and should not let the judgments of others define us. We don’t have to do anything to be loved, and neither does Punchinello. Lucia showed Punchinello that he did not have to accept the opinions of others, but he himself had to initiate his own journey. You are Special does end with a forced moral, which may not sit well with older readers. But the message of valuing oneself needs to be heard and not just by children. This is why I return to Punchinello’s village again and again.

 

Jen’s rating: 10/10

 

© Jennifer Shields and The Insightful Novelist, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jen and The Insightful Novelist with appropriate and specific direction to the original content

Why Moses is My Hero

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the story of Moses. One day, God called to him from a burning bush and gave him an important task: To lead the Israelites out of Egypt. While the Lord caused famine and disease among the Egyptians, He was building Moses up to be an awesome hero. And how about that whole parting the waters thing? Totally cool, bro
But none of those reasons are why I look to Moses as my hero. Yes, God used him for great things, and, yes, he was successful. But when we look at who Moses was as a person, we can begin to understand truly how much God freed up our brother in Christ with this mission.
Exodus 3 tells us that when Moses saw the burning bush, he was surprised that the fire wasn’t harming it. Imagine his shock when God started talking out from the depths of the flames! When God introduced himself, “Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:6). From this, we know he wasn’t always the brave hero we know he became. Moses seemed to lack confidence as God began explaining how He had seen the sufferings of his people. “So now, go,” God said to Moses. “I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10).
But Moses felt unworthy. He replied: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (3:11). Questioning God’s plan, now, are we, Moses? Shame… No, but seriously, who among us hasn’t questioned God at some point in our lives? If God appeared to me in a burning bush, I’d be a little uncertain of myself, too.
For the rest of this chapter, God gave Moses instructions on what he should say to the Israelites when he returned. In Exodus 4, God gave Moses several signs to convince the Israelites He appeared to Moses. Moses could turn his staff into a snake and cause his hand to become leprous, then healthy again. If, for some reason, these signs didn’t work, God told Moses to pour out water from the Nile on the ground, where it would turn into blood (4:9).
It’s important to note here the responsibility God gave to Moses. Not only must the man remember all these complicated instructions, but he must also perform some crazy signs in front of all of his friends and family, who may or may not start laughing at him. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone, let alone a guy who’s had some challenges since birth (as we will see).
Again, Moses tried to convince God that maybe someone else would be better suited to this job. In verse 9, Moses said: “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” Okay, so Moses can’t speak well. Maybe he doesn’t know how to find the right words, or maybe, like many of us, he gets nervous talking in front of crowds. But he’s also “slow of speech and tongue.” Of course, there are many ways to interpret this. As I was reading through this chapter one day, though, those words struck me, and I feel that the Lord led me to a revelation. What if Moses had a speech impediment?
As if to corroborate this, God responded in the most beautiful way possible. Instead of condemning Moses or becoming angry at his continued objections, the Creator of the universe said: “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” (4:11).
Whoa. Reading this verse gives me chills every time. I know God creates everyone, but I never thought about creation in this way. Many people believe disabilities are the results of Satan’s influences, that God can and will heal them. But this verse says differently. While I have no doubts about God’s abilities to heal, this verse implies something even greater: That God uses people with disabilities in world-changing ways and creates them for that purpose.
Disabilities have been viewed mainly as weaknesses since the beginning of time. Although the term seems negative, this is not so when we look at this issue through the lens of 2 Corinthians 12 7-10. Paul wrote:
…in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Many of us with disabilities may feel at times that our challenges make us weak. We may ask God to take away our burdens and make us strong. But God says that in weakness, His power is stronger. Therefore, we are called to rejoice about our weaknesses. Moses, too, felt insecure because of his weaknesses; he thought his speech problems would make him unqualified to do the work God planned for him. But God saw Moses’ heart, and He knew He wanted Moses to do the job. I know I feel better when I rise above my challenges and achieve something, so I can imagine how Moses must have felt when he realized that, despite his weakness, people were valuing him and taking him seriously.
Moses taught me that God calls us to do things outside of our comfort zones. For Moses, it was speaking God’s message, even though his speech was not as clear as that of others. God knew Moses would invest more effort than others, because God made him strong in his weakness to lead God’s people.
So when you feel lost or unsure about something God has called you to do, remember the words God spoke to Moses in Exodus 4:12: “Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” We’re not alone! God used Moses to show His strength in weakness, and that’s why Moses is my hero. He showed me that God creates blind people, God creates sighted people, and they are all fearfully and wonderfully made.

© Jennifer Shields and The Insightful Novelist, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jen and The Insightful Novelist with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.