By the Time You Read This....

After a recent trip to the local library, I was really excited to begin this gem of a book that I had picked off the shelf.  After reading the summary on the back, I was intrigued.  A little girl getting a book on her 12th birthday from the father she lost when she was five?  Who wouldn't want to read a story about a "Manual" that a father wrote to his daughter when he realized he would not be around to watch her grow up.

Now I don't know what it's like to lose a parent and I'm not even going to begin to pretend to understand.  I do have some wonderful people in my life who unfortunately have grown up without one of their parents.  And I see how they wish they could speak with them one more time.

At the age of twelve, Lois receives a manual from the father she lost when she was five.  He has written her every birthday from 12 to 30, the year that he has lost his battle with his disease.  Lois looks forward to every birthday and often references the book for advice from the father she longs to have in her life.  I understand needing advice from a parents at every turn of their life.  And you feel the struggle that Lois goes through without having her father in her life.

I realize that whenever I write about a book I truly recommend it, but who wants to read crappy books?  And I loved this book completely.  After finishing the novel, I wanted to start my own manual for my future children.  I like the idea of a tangible item for someone to reference when times are rough from someone who really does love them.  In a world where our life is absorbed with text messages and Facebook, there is nothing more special then words written in a book, like the ultimate love letter.