From the Bookshelf of Around the World in 80 Books…

The Headless Cupid (Stanley Family, #1)

Zilpha Keatley Snyder,

Alton Raible (Illustrator)

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No group discussions for this book yet.

What Members Thought

Nov 26, 2021 Linda Martin rated it did not like it

Shelves: middle-grade, families, newbery-honor-books, 2021, fiction

This is yet another Newbery list book that glorifies the occult. I'm a Christian and think this is not a good book for Christians to give to their children. I'm going to tell you in only a few words exactly what's in this book but this is totally a spoiler so it is your choice if you want to know the plot before you read it yourself.

(view spoiler) This is yet another Newbery list book that glorifies the occult. I'm a Christian and think this is not a good book for Christians to give to their children. I'm going to tell you in only a few words exactly what's in this book but this is totally a spoiler so it is your choice if you want to know the plot before you read it yourself.

(view spoiler)

The Headless Cupid is fiction but also is like a manual for learning about the occult including witchcraft, seances, hauntings and poltergeist activity. Is this what we want to fill our children's minds with?

This book is a Newbery Honor book from 1972, so it has been recommended to many children over the years and received a lot of attention. The writing is good enough. The child characters are well-developed and interesting. If I were judging this book on style and readability I'd give it four stars. However, since I'm a Christian I'm thinking about the content which should be alarming to any Christian who actually reads the Bible, including this passage from Deuteronomy 18:

"10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.” - Deuteronomy 18:10-14

For years now I've been wanting to read all the books on the Newbery list, both medal winners and honor books. Maybe the reason I'm led to do this is to discover the ungodly books the Newbery committee is glorifying, promoting, and recommending to children. Obviously our society has developed many more problems since the 1970's and Satan is hard at work infiltrating the thoughts and lives of our children. I think this book is a small part of the ongoing tragedy. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review