DoodleBlog

Have you ever wondered what non-homeschoolers perceive homeschoolers as being like?
In the last year or so we have discovered a handful of novels that each portray one of the key characters as either a homeschooler or a homeschooled graduate. As we have read each novel it has been fascinating to peer into the minds of the authors and see what they regard a typical homeschooler to be like.

(Check back for more reports of books with homeschooled characters.)

And now even one of my all-time favorite authors, Jamie Langston Turner, has written a novel, Sometimes A Light Surprises, in which one of the main characters is a homeschooled young woman.

We have read and truly enjoyed a number of Jamie Langston Turners’ novels, each one full of rich vocabulary and complex characters with life stories too complicated for quick resolutions. I always come away from her novels enriched and with a better appreciation for others’ deep trials, sorrows and complexities. Jamie Langston Turner’s writings are truly profound literary works.

Her latest novel, Sometimes A Light Surprises, has multiple characters with, of course, multiple issues. The one who most interests me is Kelly, a young woman from a homeschooled family somewhat stereotypically portrayed. Raised in a seemingly fairly conservative family, Kelly is often portrayed as somewhat homely in dress and reserved around others. A very worthwhile read even if you do not carry the same quizzical curiosity as we do to know what homeschooled means to those who aren’t.

I greatly enjoyed this latest edition by Jamie Langston Turner and if you find you enjoy her style as much as I have, I encourage you to go back and read all of her books.
My favorite – By The Light Of A Thousand Stars.

This is not a kid’s book but I think that most 15+ homeschooled girls would enjoy it.

Note: Besides, Sometimes A Light Surprises, you will want to read the rest of the novels in order.
Not essential, but I think you will enjoy the story line much more and follow each character’s history better with the books read in the correct order.

Excerpts:

“Part of him shrank from opening the cards. What kind of greeting could sum up his brand of fathering? Thanks, Dad, for financing my college education. That was one that might work. He thought of others: To a dad who made a fortune in the stock market. Or To a father who didn’t ask a lot of nosy questions or impose a bunch of strict rules on us growing up.”

“Caroline herself felt hot and cold toward the girl. Sometimes she wished she had a daughter like here, or a daughter-in-law. But other times she wanted to tell her to get a wardrobe update, put on some makeup, and join the twenty-first century. At least she had bought herself a couple of new outfits lately even if they did look like they came from Kmart.”

“Ben paused to ponder for a moment: first, what he might do in such a situation; second, why an American writer would have used the British term perambulator; and third, did it matter that they were triplets as apposed to a single baby?”

“From the other end of the table, Mark said, “Hey, Shel, did you ever tell them about the baking contest?” Mark was cut out of the same cloth as Shelly. They seemed to feed off each other, eager to share every speck of information about their successes. Ben wondered if their batteries ever ran down. He saw Erin and Reuben exchange looks across the table.”