Official Review: The Powerful You! by Patrick Atkinson

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CataclysmicKnight
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Official Review: The Powerful You! by Patrick Atkinson

Post by CataclysmicKnight »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Powerful You!" by Patrick Atkinson.]
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4 out of 4 stars
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Being a parent can be frightening. Not only are you financially responsible for a very fragile baby whose entire existence depends on you, that baby eventually grows up! It's amazing just how quickly that helpless child turns into a someone that's making their own decisions and becoming their own person. This is perfectly captured in Patrick Atkinson's The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso!.

The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso! is a very short yet powerful book. Readers are presented with numerous poignant "I can... but I can't..." messages from father to son, such as "I can teach you the difference between good and bad, but I can't make the decision for you." Each of these points is presented with a Spanish translation, and while I don't speak Spanish myself and therefore can't be sure they're error-free, Patrick spent 25 years in Central America. Considering that I didn't find a single grammatical error in the English writing, I'll assume the Spanish writing is flawless as well.

As I read this short 24-page book, I could really relate to what Patrick had written. One of the hardest things for a parent, teacher, or mentor to accept is that no matter how much they teach someone, their choices are still entirely up to them. A child can hear about how awful drugs are all day from parents and teachers, but if someone walks up to them and asks if they want some, the choice is entirely theirs. The same goes for various other aspects of life, many of which are mentioned in The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso!, such as drinking, choosing between right and wrong, and being generous.

"He has been knighted, is the recipient of numerous human rights awards (including the Guatemalan Congressional Medal) and is the subject of the biography, The Dream Maker, by Monica Hannan. Patrick is most proud of having been named Father of the Year by his son, Ernesto, this book's illustrator."

The other thing I really loved about The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso! was just how well the author's love for his child came across. The quote above, found in the "About the Author" section at the back of the book, is a truly touching way to show how a lifetime of remarkable achievements is beaten only by the love of one's child. Seriously, Patrick was KNIGHTED and yet still considers being named "Father of the Year" by his own son to be his proudest moment. I can't even imagine how wonderful this world would be if every parent felt that way about their children.

Finally, as the quote mentioned, The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso! is illustrated by the author's son, Ernesto Atkinson. Most of the pages in this book are fully illustrated, and Ernesto does a wonderful job with what look like hand-painted images. Some, like the open-palmed hand over the silhouette of a big city, look like if you reached out and touched the image, you'd feel the still-wet paint against the canvas. Just like the father and son duo themselves, the art and words work together perfectly.

The Powerful You: ¡Tú El Poderoso! is a flawless book that I'd recommend parents, teachers, mentors, and even older siblings give as gifts to teenagers and children as a reminder that, no matter how well a person is taught, "everybody decides for him or herself how they will live their life." In fact, this quote is the only instance of any gender usage at all, so the book works equally well for men or women. My rating of the book is 4 out of 4 stars, and I don't have a single negative thing to say about the book.

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Erin Painter Baker
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Post by Erin Painter Baker »

I am surprised to see this book in the Young Adult Fiction section, but it sounds like a great book, kind of along the lines of the books of quotes I used to get. It is that great reminder for all parents that their example will likely be a bigger influence than their words when it comes to their child's decision making.
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Post by Rachel Lea »

This sounds like a really lovely book. It's very touching that the author considers being named "Father of the Year" by his son as more of an honor than being knighted. Thanks so much for your review!
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Post by Miller56 »

When we become parents, I think all of us would love to have some sort of manual to lead us in the journey. However, as parents, we all need to understand that actions are louder than words to children. Although they hear what we say, they tend to mimic what they see. This book seems to emphasize this concept. It is always rewarding when our children find us "parent of the year". Sounds like a great book to read, although I think I might get lost in having the a combination of English and Spanish.
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Post by Laila_Hashem »

I find many self-help books cliche and unhelpful. Readers are generally looking for more than a 'positivity is the key' message. This one, however, sounds very intriguing and actually useful. I am definitely adding it to my reading list. thanks for the great review!
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Post by Nizar Ali Shah »

The Powerful You! by Patrick Atkinson is a very short yet powerful book.The book highlights about the roles of parents and how they take care of their young kids and do every thing for them.At that time no one knows when this child would grow up and be able to shoulder their responsibilities on their own or become decision makers.This childhood is the time when everything would depend on the parents.The idea of the father is very nice when he says that as a parent i can make and teach you the difference between good and bad but the decisions would not be imposed on the child.As a parents all of us should know that our actions are louder than our words.The son is doing a wonderful job by declaring his father as the father of the year and it is great lesson.The book is equally useful for parents, teachers, mentors and for both men and women
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Post by MatereF »

When I had my son close to 10 years ago, my world changed. I was overwhelmed with joy and at the same time, I was scared of the whole parenting process. I am glad that the author managed to have such a wonderful relationship with his son. Being named Mother of the Year will also trump everything for me. Great Review!
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Post by SangeethaNarayan »

I truly believe that each of us is entitled to make our own choices. And even if we want to, people around us work based on their own choices. Lovely review. You have made me want to read this book. Thank you!!
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Post by kdstrack »

I think the key to parenting is one line of your review: "no matter how much they teach someone." Parents, often, don't realize that they are teaching the child, by commission or by omission! This sounds like an interesting little father-son book on some important things that parents can 'teach' their offspring. Thanks for the recommendation.
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Post by Kaylee Elmer »

Wow this sounds amazing! I'm a parent (my kids are still babies though) and I work in a middle school, often with kids that make bad decisions. I feel like reading this might help me when I work with them. The fact that it's so short is definitely a plus! Thanks for a great review!
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Post by Kaitlyn Canedy »

I love how the author addresses that he can only teach his son what is right and wrong, but his son must ultimately make the difference. I feel that many parents try to make the decision for them, but this only causes more harm than good in the long run.
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Post by Adina Lutinger »

This seems like an amazing book. I love that the author addresses the fear of being responsible for a baby whose entire existence depends on you, and the challenge of accepting that no matter how much you teach someone, s/he will make her/his own choices and they may contradict everything you tought her/him and you'll have to accept that. This sounds like a very touching book that shows how things look like from the view of a parent. Thank you for your great review!
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Post by tristenb »

Wow, I love this! I love that it is both in English and in Spanish. It makes it something that a huge population of people can read and enjoy. Being a parent is definitely a huge responsibility. I hope I will be able to teach my daughter right from wrong and that she will make the right choices when the time comes. Great review! It's on my want to read list.
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