‘Children’s Books of the Year’

April 29 | I usually check out your recommendations with anticipation and your first choice, The Night Gardener, was a magical and touching story. It’s a beautiful book of hope and redemption as joy creeps into the sad little town. Among the runners-up, A Hat for Mrs. Goldman also has hope; but The Red Prince is scary, and We Found a Hat lacks substance. —JOANN NABB / Matthews, N.C.

I love and use WORLD’s book reviews so much. I just spent a half hour going through recent issues reserving books at the library and adding others to my lists on Goodreads and Amazon. You’ve shown me books in genres I wouldn’t have explored otherwise, and I’ve had delightful moments reading with my kids. —TINA WILSON / Fort Collins, Colo.

‘Rent-a-womb’

April 29 | Homosexual couples buy babies to create the illusion of a real family because they can create no life, while other people rent their bodies to create children for money. It was depressing, until Marvin Olasky put it into perspective (“A miraculous existence”). God warns us that sin has consequences, but “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” —BILL RUSSELL / Brighton, Mich.

Surrogacy reeks of the exploitation of women. And any man who doesn’t understand the bonding of mother and child prior to birth is either ignorant or stupid. —JANET SEAGRAVES on wng.org

This practice commoditizes human beings and is a horrendous form of human trafficking. —K. WILLIAMSON on wng.org

How does society decide whether to advocate for the surrogate, the child, or the gay couple when their interests conflict? There are principles involving integrity here that, if ignored, may cause untold injury to humanity. —KEITH KIGARASHI on wng.org

‘A miraculous existence’

April 29 | Humans are always producing results that in a purely naturalistic universe would be incredibly improbable. Someone who places a coin heads-up 202 times in a row has done what wouldn’t happen “naturally” in the universe’s 13.8 billion year lifetime. —STEVE FERRIER / Corvallis, Ore.

‘Something out of numbing’

April 29 | Yes, President Bashar al-Assad is horrible, but what is the endgame of American involvement in Syria? If we depose Assad, will someone even worse fill the power vacuum? Those who advocate intervention need something better than just bombing an airfield. It’s only a “just war” if it can be won. —HANS DECKER on wng.org

I struggle to process the atrocities we hear about each day, but we can’t let ourselves be overwhelmed; we have to be able to function. We can best respond by voting for people who will do something about the problems and by giving to agencies that use their resources wisely. —MARY LAMB on wng.org

‘Tale of the tapes’

April 29 | Thanks for your review of 13 Reasons Why. I’m concerned the series could glamorize suicide, which is still a taboo subject in many churches. Every time I speak about it Christians come up to talk because they desperately need a safe place to tell their stories. The only answer to this culture of death is our hope in the gospel. —ELIZABETH STONE / Beckley, W.Va.

My wife and I watched this series and noticed the “lack of God” and LGBT emphasis, but it’s accurate. In my years of youth ministry I’ve seen that for many families God truly is not in the picture; even churchgoing families make decisions based on what will get kids into the right college or a better job. So many are focused on the here and now. —JOHN T. MULHOLLAND JR. on Facebook

‘Bad words’

April 29 | Thank you for your distinction between profanity and vulgarity, but I disagree with your conclusion. Most children are not mature enough to be discerning in their reading, and being exposed to profanity or vulgarity at a young age could plague their minds with inappropriate thoughts. —TIM BLACKSTAD on wng.org

I never thought I’d see an example of using “bad words” in the same issue as this column, but “Let’s do lunch?” included the word bloody. It was once considered very vulgar in the U.K. but has recently become more acceptable. —ALLEN E. BELTLE / Brick, N.J.

‘Let’s do lunch?’

April 29 | At first I didn’t much like how direct people were at my New York college, but I accepted it when I realized that I didn’t have to wonder what people said behind my back; they were perfectly willing to say it to my face. —KAREN TALLENTIRE on wng.org

‘Her father’s daughter’

April 29 | This was a fascinating and challenging article on human rights advocate Katrina Lantos Swett. I take seriously the challenge to stand for right and oppose wrong, regardless of which political party or religion it comes from. —STEVE SHIVE on wng.org

‘No mercy’

April 29 | You reported how authorities charged pro-life activists from the Center for Medical Progress for their undercover videos but turn a blind eye to similar pro-abortion activities. As long as the mainstream media ignores this uneven playing field, only those reading WORLD and other pro-life sites will be aware of how the law is being unequally prosecuted. —JOHN COGAN on wng.org

‘Living skillfully’

April 15 | As a homeschooling mom of two young boys who leave me feeling like a lion tamer and monkey trainer, Andrée Seu Peterson’s smart and observant writing challenges me to continue wrestling my wriggling little boys into stalwart men. —MARISA NANCE / Lexington, S.C.

‘Homeless on the streets of LA’

April 1 | I commend those who reach out to the homeless but am weary of programs that apply Band-Aids to serious problems. Offering help without demanding a serious lifestyle change is no help at all. —BEVERLY ROBERTS / Houston, Texas

Correction

The photo accompanying the obituary of computer pioneer Harry Husky was of Harry Sello (Human Race, May 13, 2017).

More letters, emails, and comments we didn't have space for in the print edition:

‘No place to go’

April 1 | Your article on San Diego's homeless problem is right on, but you omitted San Diego Rescue Mission. It is also doing a great work and without government money. —RUTH M. YANCEY / San Diego, Calif.

I pray for my friend Sam who works with the homeless of LA every day. I will pray for this work as well. —BARBARA ALLEN PURCELL on Facebook

‘Making History’

April 1 | In a time-travel comedy, the daughter of Paul Revere asks who else would talk politics with a Bostonian woman during the Revolutionary period? Perhaps the history professor could give her the address of her neighbors John and Abigail Adams, and they could connect her with the right circles. —SUZANNE WINTER / Kentwood, Mich.

Comment

We absolutely love what you do. You are a cool spring in a world full of people who do not want to worship their King. —OTHNIEL DOOLITTLE on wng.org