Johnson, J. (2001). The Thundering Years: Rituals and Sacred Wisdom for Teens. Rochester, VT: Bindu Books.
ISBN-10: 0892818808
•Plot Summary
Drawing upon anthropological and literary sources, as well as true accounts from interviews, author Julie Tallard Johnson has developed a series of meditations, rituals, and guidelines for helping teens become spiritual warriors. Her methods include journaling, tapping into ancient stories about the lives of animals, constructing circles for celebrating seasons and performing magick, and working with dreams and sounds for a more complete experience. In addition, she has included an extensive bibliography of other sources, and online resources for further exploration on topics such as dreamwork, gathering your chi, and designing aid programs that make an impact on our world.
•Critical Evaluation
Extensive, and sometimes dizzying, collection of anecdotes, stories, poetry, rituals, magick, and meditations for teens that desire something more than just the basics offered by Craft books. Fantastic sections on initiations and rites of passage with cultural references.
•Reader’s Annotation
Suitable for older teens, and those interested in a more intense experience than might be available with 101 sources, especially those raised in alternative religions so that they already possess knowledge of basics.
•Information about the author
Julie Tallard Johnson is a psychotherapist and teen mentor, and has been practicing meditation since the age of sixteen. She has spent a great deal of the last thirty years helping people discover spiritual practices and methods geared toward finding a sense of purpose and happiness. Her work has taken her to Australia and Bali, and she has written several other books or teens, all influenced by stories and beliefs she's found in her studies.
She lives in Spring Green, WI with her partner, daughter, and several red-tailed hawks. Since 2008, she has maintained a blog devoted to meditation, and other topics explored in her books.
•Genre
Non-Fiction
•Curriculum Ties
Comparative religion
•Booktalking Ideas
Comparative religion, literature in religion, indigenous practices in urban environments
•Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 10-12/Ages 15-18
•Challenge Issues
As with any book about alternative religions, meditation, rituals, etc there is the possibility that parents, teachers or administrators will object to the materials they contain. With this work, I would go step by step, showing the amount of objective study that has gone into locating reliable sources on these subjects, as well as pointing out that exploration of certain avenues is an integral part of being a teen.
•Why did you include this book in you’re the titles you selected?
I wanted a more advanced book, with greater anthropological resources, for when my daughter is old/educated enough to work on methods that are above the Craft 101 level. I bought this book used, and I wish there were a new edition available with updated resources, especially with online content.
