Jacob’s Journal of Doom
Authors: Kenneth Pike & Isaac Stewart
Publisher: Deseret Book
Published Date: July 2012
Hardcover; 208 pages
Genre: LDS Middle Grade
ISBN# 978-1-60907-016-8
Reviewed by: Shanda and two of her daughters
FTC FYI: review copy in exchange for an honest review
Summary
It’s not easy being eleven. Just ask Jacob Young. He has big plans to create the best video game ever, but between church, Scouts, and his family, Jacob is having a tough time.
Things are rough at school, too. The Beast bullies Jacob at lunch, and Jenny Hayes calls him a baby in front of everyone.
It’s a good thing Jacob still has his best friend, Eric, by his side. But would they still be friends if Jacob invited Eric to Scouts? Or even to church?
Jacob’s Journal of Doom records the ups and downs of Jacob’s life&the good, the bad, and the hilarious.
My Review
I may be thirty-something years old but I found Jacob’s Journal of Doom to be well-written, enjoyable and highly entertaining. I laughed out loud several times, knowing there were probably a few things that my kids were too young to realize were funny. (From before they were born, not maturity level.)
Woven into the story were themes of justice, mercy, forgiveness, missionary work and family unity. These are presented through Jacob’s experiences, frustrations, and lessons learned. I think a lot of children can relate to these things based on their own experiences and see how maybe they can try to handle things differently if necessary. These themes are subtle and simple, not in-your-face or preachy.
I can’t wait to give a copy to my 12 year old nephew and 9 year old niece. I know they will love it. I highly recommend Jacob’s Journal of Doom to LDS children and their parents. I’m not embarrassed to say I loved it!
11 year old daughter’s review:
“I liked Jacob’s Journal of Doom a lot because it was really funny. I read it really fast. I knew when I saw the cover that it would be funny and I would like it. My favorite thing about the book is the story but I really like the drawings, too. His dad’s jokes made me laugh. Jacob, Amity and Rory are my favorite characters. I keep reading my favorite parts of the book. There are lots of girl characters so girls will like it and not just boys.”
14 year old daughter’s review:
“I read Jacob’s Journal of Doom because I enjoyed Diary of a Wimpy Kid and it looked similar. It was better than I expected because he is a young man who belongs to my same church. It was interesting to see a young man’s point of view about bullying, girls and inviting his friend to church. I love how Jacob always considered himself a ninja and drew pictures of himself as a ninja in his journal. My all-time favorite part is when Jacob is talking about what life will be like when he is a grandpa and he drew a funny comic of his own grandpa as a kid inviting his friends to play with sticks. I think boys, girls, teens and adults will like this book because it’s well written and talks about things kids have to deal with in an entertaining way.”
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