REVIEW: Mom Says I Can

This is a review of a children's book and features my daughter's review as well. It was interesting how, having never read a book review, she wrote, "I would recommend this book to your family."

REVIEW: Mom Says I Can
Published: Thursday, May. 22, 2008

A child's imagination can take him many places. He can be a pirate or a cowboy. He can be a superhero or king of the jungle. Judy Cooley, in her new children's picture book, "Mom Says I Can," takes us along on the creative play of a little boy named Max.

Cooley's watercolors evoke the soft dream-like qualities of imagination -- where reality and fantasy blend. She captures well the glow of a sunset on the horizon and the speed of swinging apes. The child's exuberance pierces each page. You can almost hear him whoop and shout.

The story, however, seems more like a collection of greeting cards than a progressing plot -- but that is not necessarily so bad. Behind each adventure is the voice of a loving mother, supporting the child as he explores his world. This is not a mom who worries about her living room being messed up with boxes, stuffed bears or jump ropes.

Read the full story at MormonTimes.com

Also, part of my daughter's review:

Kid's review of 'Mom Says I Can'
By Kate De Groote (age 6)

I liked this book. It was very good. It reminded me of my mother. I like the pictures in it too.

I really like when it says, "I'm the King of the Jungle." That page says, "I'm the King of the Jungle. Look at me swing -- I'm not afraid of anything! Just like the real king of the jungle."

And everytime, at the end of the pages, except for the last couple pages, it says, "The World's Greatest Treasure." I like that.

Read the full story at MormonTimes.com

STORY: Youth answer Elder Ballard's challenge with video

This was just a quick story to introduce a video from a youth conference.

Youth answer Elder Ballard's challenge with video
Published: Tuesday, May. 20, 2008

“We cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the church teaches,” said Elder M. Russell Ballard, an apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in a December 2007 address.

Youths in the Las Vegas Nevada Redrock Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came off the sidelines and made videos of their testimonies during the stake's April 2008 youth conference.

Read the full story at MormonTimes.com

STORY: Hebrew DNA found in South America?

This story came about when I saw another story that mentioned some of the work by the Sorenson Molecular Genealogical Foundation. It was fun to write and generated a lot of comments on DeseretNews.com. Most of the comments missed the point (as comments usually do). The story wasn't trying to say that the DNA traces they found had proved anything. It was trying to say that if you believed the standards of the Book of Mormon critics (which are lousy) then you would have to say the book was now true. That is, of course, just as absurd a conclusion. I should have made this clearer in the story.

Hebrew DNA found in South America?

Published: Monday, May. 12, 2008

Was Hebrew DNA recently found in American Indian populations in South America? According to Scott R. Woodward, executive director of Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, a DNA marker, called the "Cohen modal haplotype," sometimes associated with Hebrew people, has been found in Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia.

But it probably has nothing to do with the Book of Mormon -- at least not directly.

For years several critics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and of the Book of Mormon have claimed that the lack of Hebrew DNA markers in living Native American populations is evidence the book can't be true. They say the book's description of ancient immigrations of Israelites is fictional.

"But," said Woodward, "as Hugh Nibley used to say, 'Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.' "

Read the rest of the story at MormonTimes.com.

STORY: Women's Conference expanding influence

This was the first story I wrote for MormonTimes.com. I wasn't too pleased with the headline since it sounded very pedestrian to me. I thought the reference to chocolate-covered cinnamon bears was interesting -- and Bob Walsh brought some from BYU later in the week.

Women's Conference expanding influence

Published: Wednesday, Apr. 30, 2008

Right before the 9 a.m. start to the 2008 Women's Conference on Thursday, a small group of women from St. George will meet at portal K in the Marriott Center at Brigham Young University.

They probably won't think about how eight months earlier, the BYU Women's Conference committee started discussing topics and speakers. Chances are that none of these friends will walk across the pedestrian bridge to the J. Reuben Clark Law School building to attend the conference's smallest classes.

It is likely, however, that at some time during the two-day conference, someone from their group will buy some fudge at the BYU Bookstore. It is certain that they will gather together after dinner to work on humanitarian service projects.

Read the rest of the story on MormonTimes.com

April 21, 2008: My New Job

I left my job at the Salt Lake Chamber after seven great years working with many wonderful people.

I now work at the Deseret News on their new website: MormonTimes.com.

Several people have asked me how to find my stories on the MormonTimes.com website. It isn't that difficult -- just type in "de groote" or "degroote" in the search box. But, to make it easier, and to add comments on the context and writing of the stories, I will post links to the stories here.

A Prophet's Reunion

I created this cartoon to express my thoughts and feelings on the death of Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley in January 2008:

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remember with fondness the way our 97-year-old prophet would wave his cane to crowds--so in this cartoon the cane represents the legacy he left behind. The reunion represented here is, of course, with his beloved wife who passed away years earlier. So, the cartoon represents our sadness at our loss and our joy at his reunion with his wife. Of course, at 97 years, there will be many more friends and family at this reunion--including the Lord Jesus Christ.

I created the drawing in Adobe Illustrator using a Wacom tablet and stylus. It was my first attempt using a completely electronic medium to create a cartoon.

On another note, I hope the cartoon also illustrates how cartoons can carry more than humor--but poignant and healing feelings as well. I think of Mauldin's cartoon of the Lincoln Memorial (scroll down in the previous link and click on the cartoon of Lincoln) when JFK died as the best example of this genre.


Large High Resolution version of cartoon: