A subplot involves Dot, one of Anna’s friends.  Dot’s father used to have a high paying job, but has lost it and is now seeking employment. When he does obtain a job, he is only paid in scrip. Scrip can be used to buy certain items, yet it can’t be used to pay the mortgage on the house.

As the story progresses, Anna, her family and her friends continue to use their imaginations to think of ways they can make money and help those who are struggling. Anna’s parents often help homeless hobos who come seeking refuge and part-time employment, modeling kindness and care. Anna, her family and her friends communicate about God’s love and desire to help people in the daily challenges they face.

When President Roosevelt is elected, he puts his plan, “the New Deal,” into action. It provides many people with jobs. Chet applies for a work camp in another state, where he can make money and send part of it home to his family. He receives word that they miss him very much and are in favor of this idea. He leaves town with his friends’ bittersweet good-byes. Through their encouragement and the help of their parents, Chet has found a secure job. Near the end of the story, Dot’s father also becomes gainfully employed, and all the families give thanks to God.

This story is a great read for children aged 8-12. It emphasizes God, family and moral values. The young friends look to God for help. Their parents teach them to make sensible choices, to be patriotic and to help others. The friends learn to be industrious and help their families make money to the best of their abilities. I was impressed with how grateful the friends were for something we take for granted every day–ice cream and cake!

I would certainly recommend Anna’s Fight for Hope to young people. It encouraged me to continue doing what is right, even when times are difficult.

Patsy Ledbetter says she has many job titles, but her favorite is being mom to her five children. Her two daughters, two sons and one son-in-law are her joy. A teacher with forty years experience Patsy has taught children of all ages and also special needs children and adults. She writes occasionally for a local newspaper and performs in church theater productions on a regular basis. Her husband is the church choir and orchestra director. They have been married for 32 years. She says, “It is my desire to bring honor and glory to my Lord Jesus in every area where He has allowed me to minister.”

The story centers around Nathan Hertzfield, a young Jewish man. While trying to defend his family from the attacks of the Cossacks sent by the Tzar of Russia, Nathan is kidnapped by a Cossack soldier named Nikolai. Nikolai instructs Nathan to change his name to Stepan Ivanov, concealing his nationality. Nathan is only fifteen and he is forced to grow up quickly.

Gradually, Nikolai and Nathan become friends and Nikolai allows him a short visit to his home, his mother and brother. His mother and brother are overjoyed. As he leaves, his mother assures Nathan her daily prayers are with him.

Later Nathan is forced to join the Russian Army. Vasile, a friend from his childhood, accuses him of a crime he did not commit. The loss of his family and harsh treatment have caused Vasile to become cruel. Nathan realizes his childhood friend has changed and is out to get him. He deserts from the Russian army and flees to a city in Romania where he finds respite with a Jewish family. They become dear to him, yet the father of the house decides that Nathan is endangering his family and encourages him to leave. In France Nathan’s troubled past continues to threaten his life, but the troubles of the past now become the way for him to find Jesus and hope.

An exciting page-turner, this novel teaches many things. For one, the reader will certainly appreciate his/her family more, as the hero in the story was kidnapped from his family against his will and experienced tremendous sorrow in the process. It also shows how at different periods in history so many people gave up their lives and freedoms for the good of others.

Night of the Cossack would be very suitable for children ages 10 and above.

Patsy Ledbetter says she has many job titles, but her favorite is being mom to her five children. Her two daughters, two sons and one son-in-law are her joy. A teacher with forty years experience Patsy has taught children of all ages and also special needs children and adults. She writes occasionally for a local newspaper and performs in church theater productions on a regular basis. Her husband is the church choir and orchestra director. They have been married for 32 years. She says, “It is my desire to bring honor and glory to my Lord Jesus in every area where He has allowed me to minister.”

The novel begins with a letter to young Sarah Poyntz from Queen Anne of England. Sarah, who lives in Belgium, had met Queen Anne three years earlier when Anne was a lady-in-waiting to the court of King Henry VIII of England. At that time King Henry was attempting to divorce his first wife and marry Anne in the hopes she would produce a son. After becoming the queen, Anne sends Sarah a letter asking if she would like to be a lady-in-waiting. On the advice of her parents Sarah declines the offer.

Sarah and her family learn through a friend that William Tyndale, a Bible translator, is in trouble with the Pope and the King of England. There is a bounty on Tyndale’s head. The Poyntz family decide to hide him. The merchant family has a room at the house where Tyndale can work in peace. On weekends he leaves the house to visit the poor and help the people in the community.

One day when Sarah is with him, they notice a man in a cloak following them. He introduces himself as Henry Phillips and appears to be a follower of the Protestant movement. He becomes friends with Tyndale, but Sarah has reservations about him. Philips often comes for lunch. One day Tyndale is asked to meet Philips at an inn. Unexpectedly, Tyndale is caught in an ambush and is arrested. Sarah, who is following Tyndale, races back to the house to save Tyndale’s Bible manuscript. She arrives ahead of the soldiers and hides it.

The only people who might be able to save Tyndale from prison are Queen Anne and King Henry in England. Sarah agrees to go to Anne as a lady-in-waiting and give her a copy of the manuscript. She must travel very carefully and hide the manuscript because ships are often searched by the English troops for Bibles. Will Sarah be able to give Queen Anne the manuscript? What will happen to Tyndale? Will his Bible ever be translated for the people?

The Queen’s Smuggler: William Tyndale is a great story of heroism and of people willing to take a risk for their faith in God. Although fiction, it is based on the story of William Tyndale’s quest to translate the Bible into English. The Queen’s Smuggler: William Tyndale has 128 pages and is recommended for children, ages 8-12. However, the story may be a little scary for young children. Tyndale is kidnapped, imprisoned in the castle of Vilvoorde, and executed by being strangled and then burned at the stake.

Kristina O’Brien is a mother of twin girls, an avid reader, and credentialed teacher. She has taught both middle school and high school history. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys raising her two girls.

Watching the stars, Jon accidentally falls through a long-forgotten door. He hits his head and blacks out. When he wakes up in a cave, he can’t remember who or where he is. Reaching out with his mind, he senses a gentle doe and her fawn, and follows them down a game trail to a green valley. Jon is shocked when a man shoots at the doe. She runs away but the man catches Jon. He cannot understand what the man says to him, but he feels the ugliness of the stranger’s thoughts.

When Jon manages to squirm away and leap lightly over a fence, he feels the man’s astonishment and suspicion. Jon hides beside a road until a car full of kind, rational people drives by, and then he jumps out and waves to them. The Bean family takes him in. Now safe, Jon heals from his fall and learns English in a couple of days. He is so unusual; the Bean family realizes he must be from another place.

But the neighbors dub him “wild boy.” Soon there are gun-toting thieves, a determined sheriff, and a mysterious colonel all trying to get Jon.

Mr. Bean and Jon hike back to the place where Jon fell with the intention of  returning Jon to his home before he is hurt or exploited. But it’s a race against time and formidable opponents.

Although there are unkind people and suspense tugs the plot line along, this is a sweet tale of a boy who is shocked by evil and longs for goodness and home. Normal in his own world, his powers of communicating with animals, leaping high, and reading people’s minds are seen as abnormal and frightening in ours. And they are just the sort of things kids wish they could do. Upper elementary and middle school children will find The Forgotten Door an engaging and uplifting read.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

Note from Nancy:  Alexander Key is also the author of Escape to Witch Mountain. If your child likes The Forgotten Door, he/she might want to look for Escape to Witch Mountain.  Donna’s review of that book was posted on September 5, 2011, http://nancyellenhird.wordpress.com/2011/09/

Thomas arrives at the land of his birth torn between two cultures, loving them both. Settling on his parents’ estate outside Jamestown, he embraces the ways and language of the Algonquin under the tutelage of his uncle, Parahunt, while his heart is drawn toward Jane, who lives in town. Because of his connections with leading settlers and Algonquin chiefs, Thomas finds himself uniquely positioned to pursue a daring plan to bring about peace.

Mari Hanes combines historical sources with imagination to create an engrossing fictional account of the son of Pocahontas. There is loss and danger, handled carefully by the writer. Thomas must struggle with anger, grief, and the desire for revenge. He must sort out what to accept and reject from each of the cultures that claim him. Thomas’ journey from boy to manhood in 17^th century America makes Two Mighty Rivers an adventure worth reading. This book is suited for upper elementary and middle school readers.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

Pocahontas, favorite daughter of the great Chief Powhatan, is ten years old when she stops Captain John Smith from being killed by her people. She becomes a favorite visitor of the English colonists. In her efforts to make peace, Pocahontas clashes with the priest of the war god in her village. She is kidnapped in an effort to stop all out war between the two peoples. While staying in the home of a minister and his wife, she embraces their faith. There she meets and decides to marry John Rolf. She and her son later journey with him to England, where she is warmly received.

This is the spiritual journey of a young woman growing up in a changing world. The voice of Pocahontas is both brave and endearing. Even though the essentials of her life are widely known, this story still captivates the reader.

In this historical fictional account of the life of Pocahontas, the author attempts to stay true to a wealth of historical facts handed down through journals, letters, and other records. She wants to paint an accurate picture of Algonquin life in the early 1600s and treat the actions of both Native Americans and English colonists fairly.

The book is suited for upper elementary and middle school readers. Due to the nature of this period of history, there is violence, suspense, and loss. But this tale leaves a lasting impression of a girl who embraces great adventure with incredible courage.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

Kaya is a young Native American girl who travels with her family to a fishing village for the season. She has a new horse, Steps High, who is very spirited like she is. Kaya boasts about herself and her horse which gets her into trouble. She enters a race with a troublesome friend, leaving her twin brothers with a blind family friend named Speaking Rain. Her brothers leave Speaking Rain’s side and wander into the woods. The children are feared to have been lured into the woods by “the little people.” (This is part of the tribe’s religion.) Kaya and the others find the brothers unharmed, but all the children must face punishment.  Kaya learns how wrong she was to boast about her horse.

Because of what Kaya did, the children of the fishing village call her names. She must learn to overcome their teasing. She enjoys working in the fishing village and learns from the elders of the tribe by listening to their stories and lessons. She has other adventures. She learns how to better train her horse. At the climax, Kaya and her horse Steps High have the opportunity to rescue Speaking Rain, but will Kaya be able to use the training and help her friend?

Meet Kaya is the first of six books in the Kaya series. The setting of this book is 1764, the Pacific Northwest. The story is 59 pages long. The book has additional pages of information. Meet Kaya is a great book for girls ages 10 to 13. The publisher recommends it for ages 8 and up, but I think that it may be too advanced for an 8 year old.

The book poses questions for parents to ask their child. For example: What is boasting? What are the consequences? What are the results of teasing? In addition to telling a great story about a young Native American girl, the book gives a brief history of the Nez Perce tribe and has a language section so that the reader can learn a little more about the Nez Perce language. The history includes a brief section on the current location and changes in the Nez Perce tribe.

Kristina O’Brien is a mother of twin girls, an avid reader, and credentialed teacher. She has taught both middle school and high school history. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys raising her two girls.

Published in 2006 by Dutton Children’s Books and written by Jimmy Hawkins who played Tommy in the film, the book honors the film’s sixtieth anniversary of its release. But the book does a lot more than that.

The story is about Tommy Bailey who is now eleven years old. Like the film the book begins with prayers. Tommy has run away and his family turns to Heaven for help. The angel Clarence who is familiar with such problems suggests the angel Arthur. Arthur learns about Tommy and goes to help. Like George Bailey in the film, Tommy also gets a glimpse of what life would have been like for others if he had never been born. Tommy discovers that even kids can play significant parts in the lives of others. The seemingly small acts of kindness and care that they do are important and valuable.

The storyline of It’s a Wonderful Life for Kids! was created with kids in mind. The problems are kid problems and the kind of assistance that Tommy offers to others is the kind of assistance that any child could give. The film needed a villain like Mr. Potter. The book doesn’t have one, but Tommy’s fear that people will think he is a thief and his despair that he cannot replace the lost money are enough for this child’s version of the story. I think children will have no problem relating to such fear and despair.

Douglas B. Jones illustrated It’s a Wonderful Life for Kids! He sets the story in the early 1950s and depicts life and clothes from that time. His illustrations are expressive and appropriate. I think it will be fun for kids to see how kids dressed during other times.

While I would not say the book is text heavy, I think its theme and Tommy’s age and activities will resonate better with children six and above.

Nancy

Slim’s father has found a torn map in an old clock. The map’s edges match up with a torn map that has been passed down in Slim’s family. What is it a map of? Where is it leading to? And when someone steals a copy of the map from one of the kids, will the kids be able to solve the mystery before the thief does?

One value of reading mysteries is that they encourage the reader to think through a problem and consider ways to solve it. This novel does that well. In their search for clues and answers the kids use experts, interview local historians, do research at the library, gather documents, read pertinent material and visit relevant sites. The kids do these activities enthusiastically; they are trying to solve a puzzle. I think child readers may see that some of the skills they are learning in school have fun applications.

Bradley’s book , however, is more than a puzzle.  The reader gets a little history as the plot switches back and forth between the present time and the time when the map was made during the Colorado Silver Rush of the 1880′s.

Bradley also strikes a good note on age-appropriate behavior. The children take the lead in solving the mystery, but they are not “superkids”left alone to solve it. They receive support from adults. The adults encourage the kids and model respect and safety. They also counsel the kids wisely, helping the kids at times keep their emotions from taking over.

This is a mystery with a Christian perspective. The  family is Christian. They rely on God and pray for themselves and others. They even show love and concern for the villain. They attend church and put that ahead of solving the mystery. They work together.  When the children misbehave,  they are corrected, but gently.

The Double Cousins and the Mystery of the Torn Map is a good read for upper elementary boys and girls.

Nancy

The reader is instantly captivated by an adventure under the sea. The journey takes you through an exploration of the ocean floor where your choices may lead you to encounter a giant squid or deadly sharks. A series of choices may abruptly end your adventure. A different series of choices may lead you to discover the lost city of Atlantis. You might come across strangers with gills or get vaporized by a laser beam from the enemies of Atlantis. Beware there are 42 possible endings.

The book is a fun read for young readers because it allows a person to skip around and learn from mistakes. The series is ideal for those who are seeking adventure and enjoy the possibility of alternative endings.

This book is fiction and I would encourage parents to discuss with their children the difference between myths and truth. In the book, there is an encounter with a shark. In another sequence the main character, the reader, cannot resurface. Such experiences may frighten very young readers. Parents please, remind your younger readers that the book is fiction and the story is not true.

Journey Under The Sea may inspire children to learn more about the world under the waters of the ocean and may give parents and children the desire to visit an aquarium and learn more there about the world under the sea. In addition to this book, there are several other Choose Your Own Adventure books. FYI, some of these books contain monsters, ghosts, and haunted houses. So, please look at the books when helping your child choose one of them.

Journey Under The Sea has 108 pages and is illustrated by Sittisan Sundaravej and Kriangsak Thongmoon.

Kristina O’Brien is a mother of twin girls, an avid reader, and credentialed teacher. She has taught both middle school and high school history. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys raising her two girls.

Farmer Hogget finds a cute piglet at the local fair, and Mrs. Hogget begins to fatten him to become holiday ham.  But the farm’s sheepdog takes pity on the lonely pig, adopting him as her own.  He follows her around, watching her work the sheep and dreaming some day of becoming a sheep-pig.

The story is full of entertaining characters, both animal and human.  It encourages readers to work hard to overcome obstacles and fulfill dreams.

There are a couple of times when Babe is in jeopardy, but they are quickly resolved in his favor. There is one sad moment when a sheep dies.  For younger children this could be a read-aloud book, but older kids will enjoy reading it on their own.

The farmyard, humor, and surprises make this a good read.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

In Andrea Carter and the Trouble with Treasure thirteen-year-old Andi and her two friends accompany Andi’s older brother, Mitch, on a camping trip into the Sierras. They ride horses, fish for trout, pan for gold and sleep under the stars. It’s a pleasant, easy-going time until one of the horses encounters a rattlesnake and injures Andi’s friend, Jenny. Mitch detours the trip to a small mountain town where he hopes to find medical help.

Resuming their trek into the mountains, Mitch and the kids come upon a cabin being used by outlaws. Mitch is shot during a gun battle despite his attempts to leave peaceably. The kids must figure out how to keep Mitch alive. Which they do. However, their need to figure out how to handle difficult situations is not over. A mountain lion prowls around the cabin at night and the third member of the outlaw gang shows up. With these experiences Andi’s relationship with God grows as she practices relying on Him for strength and wisdom. She also learns that growing up is about thinking and acting wisely and not about giving up the outdoor life she loves for more “ladylike” activities.

As you may have read, I think  too many books for young kids promote a “Superkids” mentality. This author doesn’t do that. She lets the kids be kids. They know they are in  perilous situations and they know those situations are beyond their capabilities. Andi is often in prayer, relying on God to help her overcome her fears and do the right thing. Andi also looks to her brother for counsel. He also tries to protect them and models sensible behavior. The kids do succeed in saving Mitch’s life and thwarting the third outlaw, but the author doesn’t make light of what the kids have gone through. The reader is told in passing that Andi has nightmares for several nights when she returns to the ranch.

I have one problem with the novel I think you might want to know about. The final fight scene between the villain and the kids is rather intense. The villain chokes Andi to the point where she nearly passes out.

Nancy Ellen Hird

As this historical novel opens, fifteen-year-old Paul Muller is waiting on the docks and saying good-bye to his mother, father and youngest sister. He is about to board a ship for America. The time is the late 19th century. Paul’s uncle who has a farm in Nebraska has offered to sponsor Paul and has promised him a job working on his farm. Paul is eager to immigrate, but leaving the rest of his family behind is daunting.

Baxter uses a lot of good detail about late 19th century travel and rural life  in her telling of Paul’s story.Young readers will feel as if they are with Paul, experiencing the fear and excitement of traveling across the Atlantic Ocean. I think they will be turning the pages wanting to know if immigration authorities will pass Paul through Ellis Island or if they will retain him as they did some. Young readers will fear for Paul as he encounters a thief on the train west. The plot twists dramatically when Paul finally reaches the small town where his uncle has been living only to learn that his uncle has moved away and no one knows where. Readers will keep reading to know what happens next.

The book is not overtly Christian, but God is behind the scenes in the telling of this story. Paul encounters difficulties but people help him and Paul is an upright, likable young man–kind, hard-working, respectful and brave.

The author has based this book on her grandfather’s story of immigrating to the United States. The novel is part of a series. Two other books, The Rattlesnake Necklace and Rocky Mountain Summer, tell about her grandmother, Fern, before she meets Paul.

Prairie Meeting is short–72 pages–but I think it will be quite satisfying for fourth and fifth graders. They will enjoy the author’s storytelling abilities and they will enjoy learning about what it was like to immigrate to America and to live on the Nebraska prairie in the 19th century. The author is a former elementary school teacher and she has crafted her book to meet the needs and interests of this age group. Home schooling parents may want to know that a teacher’s guide is available for this book and there are also teacher guides available for the other books in the series.

Nancy

Here’s to better late than never. The picnics, parades, pyrotechnics and patriotic songs are fading from our memories. The Fourth of July, 2011, is past. But don’t let fade the freedom and faith that America represents.

William Bennett’s The Children’s Book of America, published by Simon and Schuster in 1998, will inspire your patriotism. This classic is crammed with fascinating stories of ordinary folks who did extraordinary things. It includes the history of songs, folktales and other tidbits of American life. These range from Yankee Doodle, Lewis and Clark, Paul Bunion, Johnny Appleseed and the story of the Star Spangled Banner.

One story is “The Bravery of Abigail Adams”. Though John Adams and his wife spent many years apart during the Revolution, their love grew through letters. While her husband was in Philadelphia and Europe she home schooled their children and welcomed many strangers in need. In spite of hardships and dangers, she tended the farm in Raintree, north of Boston.

“The Legend of the Grand Canyon” is a most unusual tale. It tells of a chief who died from a snake bite and wandered to the spirit world across trail after trail through deep and dark canyons, which became the Grand Canyon.

Another tale is that of the spiritual song, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Ella Shepherd, a slave girl trusted in God even though she was separated from Sarah, her mother. After the Civil War Ella attended Fisk University where she joined the Jubilee Singers and toured singing the old slave songs in both America and England.

This book is a great read aloud bedtime story book for younger children. Older children will be fascinated by facts and stories that they have never heard before, such as how General Robert E. Lee shook the hand of a wounded Union soldier even though previously this soldier had spit out curses at him.

Each illustration is realistic with natural color and true to the text. One last fact, did you know that the song, “Home on the Range” is known as the cowboy’s national anthem? This book for all ages exemplifies how God truly ”shed His grace” on America.

Carol Green, a graduate of Northwestern, is married and the mother three adult children. Her five grandchildren affectionately call her “Grams cracker.”

She is the published author of many poems for both adults and children; three coloring books: God Gave Me Five, ABC Fun Book, and Color God’s World Bright; and the picture book: My Mom Loves Me.

Summer often means family road trips. Today’s guest reviewer has a terrific suggestion for making these trips even more pleasurable.

Nancy

It had been awhile since I’d visited with the March sisters. So with a long drive ahead of me, it seemed like a good time. And soon, there we were, tootling down I-5—just me and Jo. And Meg and Beth and Amy. And Laurie and Marmee and Professor Bhaer and Aunt March and a host of minor characters all coming to life courtesy of Focus on the Family’s radio theatre presentation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

It wasn’t the first radio theatre I’d listened to, so I knew I was in for a treat. On previous drives, I’d traveled to Narnia with the Pevensies, to Prince Edward Island with Anne of Green Gables, and to Nazi Germany twice, first with Corrie ten Boom, and then again with Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Focus on the Family radio theatre  for more possibilities).

With the March sisters, I traveled back not only to the Civil War era when the story is set, but also to my childhood when I remembered straddling a tree branch on our black walnut tree, my feet dangling ten feet over the lawn, a book open before me…

I still own a lot of the books I read back then. Most of them I’ve read more than once. I see them on my bookshelves and am drawn in, remembering….  But, there’s no time now to curl up on the couch, let alone climb a tree; I have another drive ahead of me. I haven’t finished Little Women yet; I grab the next CD and pop it in.

The music starts, drawing me in as if I were in a darkened theatre. A door creaks and I hear footsteps. Radio theatre is like listening to a full movie soundtrack, complete with music, special effects and a full cast of actors playing the different roles. I recognized several of the names, Gemma Jones (of the film, Sense and Sensibility) and Kate Maberly  (of The Secret Garden) among them, and quickly came to recognize the voices of different characters on the recording. There’s no overlap: Jo is Jo, and Amy is Amy.

Kids might initially prefer watching a movie on a DVD player in the backseat, but listening to radio theatre gets the whole car full involved, experiencing the story together.

I turn up the sound. “Marmee?” Jo’s familiar voice calls out, and Marmee responds. Then Laurie laughs, and I settle back in my seat. All I have to provide is my imagination. And maybe some laughter and tears. And nostalgia for time gone by.

Christine Tanzer lives in a high rise condo in California. There are no big black walnut trees to climb onto from her balcony, but her walls are covered with bookshelves. She’s planning her next road trip and is pondering which radio theatre drama to listen to next…

In this book nine-year-old Jennie’s life has changed dramatically because of World War II.  Her family has taken on the responsibility of running a hotel for its Japanese owners. She and her siblings must pitch in, like it or not, sweeping and mopping floors, folding sheets, and making beds. Living in the hotel also puts the children in contact with some interesting and sometimes challenging people.

War brings new fears. Jennie’s oldest brother, like many of the young men in her community, is fighting in the war. Her family waits anxiously for letters from him and Jennie prays regularly for his safety. The story does not dwell on the family’s fear, but it does not minimize it either.  Jennie’s teacher’s husband is killed in action and Jennie wrestles with being mad at God.

The novel seems to have good historical details and will help kids grasp what living in the US during WWII was like from a kid’s point of view. The kids in the novel plant Victory gardens, gather scrap metal, rubber and waste fat for the war effort, listen to the war news on the radio, participate in patriotic events and long for rationed items like sugar, cocoa and gasoline.

Jennie, her younger brother and their friends have some funny misadventures which will delight young readers. Though the book is episodic, there is a mystery involving a man who comes to live at the hotel which gives the novel some ongoing suspense. (The kids believe he is a spy, but discover he is counterfeiting ration books.)

Much of the plot revolves around a fierce rivalry between Jennie and her eight-year-old brother. This competitive spirit continually gets both of them into trouble until they learn how to put it aside. Jennie’s War is a good book for upper elementary children. I think the title is unfortunate however. Jennie’s brother plays a big part in the story and I think the book could interest boys as well as girls.

Nancy

Each of the ten chapters is a mystery, ending with two questions–one about the case and the other about a biblical truth. The reader must turn to the back of the book to get the answers which are provided by Nick’s friend, professional detective and mentor, Bill. The Q & A section has a lightly educational and devotional tone.

This large font chapter book has full-page black and white illustrations for each chapter. It is 109 pages long and comes with a camouflage-colored bracelet imprinted with the words: “WARTHOG DETECTIVE AGENCY.” Anderson’s approach is highly imaginative and entertaining.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

With the persuasive, consistent example of Draycos as mentor, Jack matures as the story progresses. His character develops as he becomes more responsible, but he remains a clever, resourceful, wise-cracking guy. How can this not be a fun romp, with all kinds of gadgets, aliens galore, a mystery to solve, and people to save?

There is muted violence, including a distant space battle, Jack’s kidnapping, and some personal combat. The villain shoots innocent aliens, and Draycos later breaks the man’s neck as punishment for those murders. There is no gore. Jack tells Draycos that although he may have the right to punish criminals on his own world, on human worlds he must work within the law. Use your own judgment on whether these elements would be disturbing to your child.

I read this book as adult, and liked it so well I completed the entire “Dragonback” series of six books. My children read the series in middle school, and liked it enough to read it multiple times. The publisher lists the story for ages ten and up. I think middle school is about right.

You will want to read on too, for the saga has just begun with book one. However, incidents of suspense, fighting, warfare, and death continue in the series. It is carefully written not to glorify fighting or condone killing. Some of the books are fast paced; others are slower. The first and fifth (entitled Dragon and Judge) are my favorites.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

Seventh-grader Austin has a laptop that enables him and his friend Drew to enter websites and encounter the people and events the sites talk about. This is not time travel though. Many of the people they encounter know they are part of a website and links to other sites are visible to the people who enter the sites.

The novel opens with the boys observing a tornado up close while they are in a website on tornados. Though this opening is a little confusing, it helps readers new to the series know how the book’s fantasy world works. The book’s plot gets going when a substitute teacher who seems to be more than that gives the class an assignment to write a paper on an interesting writer. The boys choose C.S. Lewis and using Austin’s laptop transport themselves to an Oxford website.

The boys are prevented from getting much information about Lewis, however, when a flood of spam–think sludge that talks–forces the kids to jump to another site. The boys find that they will need help to get out of the Net and home. They send an email and Ashley, Austin’s sister, sees it on the kitchen computer. She grasps that she must locate Austin’s missing laptop and turn it on. A tornado watch that quickly turns into a tornado warning hinders her attempts.

While there are dangers and obstacles in the novel–people who want to eliminate Christian material from the Internet, spam and a tornado, I don’t think the book is frightening. The author keeps a nice balance, giving the story suspense and thrills, but also weaving in lots of humor and interesting facts. As they jump from site to site Austin and Drew encounter famous and not-so famous Christians and learn about their lives.

I also like the way Elmer portrayed the kids. The main characters are junior highers with junior higher interests and issues—school, friendships, sports, etc. The kids are generally respectful to adults even when the adults seem villainous. There are some nice surprises in the kid-to-kid relationships. The main characters reconcile with a girl with whom they have had a problem and a boy who seems like a clueless goof-off turns out to be helpful.

Nancy

A few days later while Addy is serving Master Stevens and his guest, she discovers that her master is in financial trouble. He talks to the man about selling Addy’s brother and father to him. Addy excuses herself and runs to Aunt Lulu, a slave working in the kitchen, telling her what she has overheard. But it is too late. As Addy runs to the field, she sees her father and brother being put into a wagon. She runs to them and is held back. Her brother and father are punished because Addy acts out. Addy watches as her family is separated. She wonders if they will ever see one another again.

That night Addy learns about the plans she overheard a few nights ago. Addy’s mother tells her that they will make a run for it. The only problem is that Esther; Addy’s little sister, must stay behind with Aunt Lulu and Uncle Solomon.

On the night of the escape Addy and her mother put on pants, shirts and a hat and say good-bye to Esther and the others. Addy and her mother must travel as far as they can to prevent the master from a search. Uncle Solomon tells them about a house on the Underground Railroad. They must try to make it to Caroline’s house. She will help them get to the north.

Addy and her mother do as they are told and run through the woods. They face adventures of rivers, cold weather and southern soldiers who are in the woods. Will the family he united again and will they make it to Caroline’s house?

Meet Addy: An American Girl is a great book about the Civil War from the eyes of a child slave. Addy learns a valuable lesson about growing up. She learns when to speak out and when not. The novel has a brief history of American slavery and the Civil War. The book is suggested for ages 7 and up. However, I believe it is more appropriate for children ages 9 and up. Parents will want to discuss with their children the issues of slavery and racism the book brings up. The book will interest people of all cultures. This novel is the first book in a series of books about Addy.

Kristina O’Brien is a mother of twin girls, an avid reader, and credentialed teacher. She has taught both middle school and high school history. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys raising her two girls.

Story by: Andrew Simmons and Rob Corley; Art by: Ariel Padilla; Created by: Tom Bancroft and Rob Corley

The graphic novel has taken teenagers and young adults by storm the last few years. Many authors are now writing in this style and teenagers are very eager to read the books. The Manga (Japanese) style is becoming so popular that young adults are learning Japanese so they can read it without translation. Christian authors saw a new market for promoting positive books in a different setting rather than traditional style.

In Tomo: I Was an Eighth Grade Ninja which is the first novel in a series, Hana, a Japanese immigrant, comes to San Francisco to live with her grandfather and mysterious friend Tomo. Tomo, a cat, knows karate and helps defend a powerful sword later in the book. In an alternative world, Argon Falls, evil animal-like warriors plot to take possession of the powerful sword. These animal-like warriors discover a portal for entry into Hana’s world.

Hana is a karate expert. Her grandfather learns of her exceptional skills soon after her arrival as he invites her to practice in his dojo. She learns that her grandfather is a Christian when he prays and takes her to church on Sunday. Hana is introduced to Brittany who is her age and the pastor’s daughter. Brittany agrees to help Hana around school on Monday and it seems that they are going to be instant friends.

However, Brittany does not introduce her to her friends and Hana sits alone during lunch. After school Brittany’s friends create a plan to hurt and embarrass Hana. Brittany unwillingly agrees to go along with the plan, but she continues to walk Hana home. The friendship between the two girls begins to blossom even as the dark warriors are descending over the city. Brittany later in the book learns a valuable lesson about bullying, standing up to temptation, and standing up for what is right. Brittany and Hana decide to forgive one another. Hana even agrees to help Brittany learn karate. Suddenly as Brittany leaves there is a knock at the door and Hana opens it. She soon discovers a secret about her life and her grandfather that will change her life.

Hana’s expertise in karate could classify her as a ninja. Ninjas are often at the center of the Japanese graphic novels. In Tomo: I was an Eighth Grade Ninja the lines are clearly drawn about good and evil. The book is a reminder to put on the full armor of God for everyone even teenagers. The warriors are after the sword of the spirit so they can be powerful. It is important to remember to hold on tight to the word of God. This book taught me a little Japanese and I think that makes it even more interesting. This is a good read for a middle school student who is looking for a comic book style novel with clear morals and Biblical truth.

Kristina O’Brien is a mother of twin girls, an avid reader, and credentialed teacher. She has taught both middle school and high school history. She is currently a stay-at-home mom and enjoys raising her two girls.

The story revolves around the adventures of plucky Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia. When Bonnie’s wealthy parents set out on an ocean voyage to revive her mother’s failing health, Miss Slighcarp takes over Bonnie’s palatial home, Willoughby Chase. Living in luxury, Miss Slighcarp reduces the girls to servants, and then sends them to a school for orphans which is little more than a workhouse. With the help of young Simon the geese herder and sympathetic adults along the way, Bonnie seeks to restore her home and free the orphans.

Children will appreciate that, in the end, everyone gets what they deserve. This book could be enjoyed by children ages 9-12.

Donna Fujimoto is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. She has published both devotionals for adults and short stories for teens. Her children love to read.

The Double Cousins and the Mystery of the Missing Watch by Miriam Jones Bradley–this mystery for middle graders is terrific leisure reading and perfect for the summer. In the book several cousins, ranging in ages from eight to thirteen, spend some of their summer at their grandparents’ ranch. The kids solve a mystery about the disappearance of a family member several generations back and help a kind, but troubled stranger rediscover forgiveness.

The families in the story are Christians. They talk the talk and walk and the walk. Carly’s father, a minister, is a catalyst for one of the mysteries. With Grandpa’s permission, Carly’s father brings Slim, a homeless man, to the ranch to help with the haying. The kids wonder if they should trust the stranger and make some mistakes in the way they treat him. They learn some valuable lessons in respect and responsibility to others. The grandparents provide loving and godly guidance. The kids and grandparents also share their faith with one another and with others. One unusual, but satisfying, element of the story is the kids’ belief that God has been at work behind the scenes in bringing about the solution to the mystery and the restoration of the stranger to his family.

The setting is a working ranch and the kids do chores as well as play so the book has some good detail on ranch life. (I always think it is a plus when a reader can learn a few interesting facts as well as be entertained.) One scene in which two of the kids are doing a task they find unpleasant has some nice modeling. The ranch setting also provides the plot with some humorous happenings—egg gathering, for example–and a little danger—a rattlesnake.

I could see the ending coming from way off, but then the author threw a twist. It reminded me, like it reminds the kids in the story, not to jump too quickly to conclusions and that one should practice mystery-solving with wisdom and grace. The book is a warm fuzzy. Wine Press is the publisher. The book is available from them and on Amazon.com.

Dr. Paul White was a missionary to Tanganyika from 1938 to 1941. When he returned to his home in Australia, he began a series of popular radio broadcasts. The Jungle Doctor books are based in part on those broadcasts.

In this series White breaks the “rule” that says that a book for a child must have a child protagonist, but I think tweens will nevertheless find his books intriguing. The exotic setting of Africa and the adventures of a missionary doctor and his hospital staff are well drawn. White gives enough detail about hospital work and the struggle to save lives to make the stories dramatic, interesting, and even sometimes humorous. He does however refrain from gore.

White does not sugar coat the Christian walk. His characters take small steps, have setbacks, have doubts, make mistakes, ask good questions, take more small steps, have victories…. In short his Christian characters are not those “who have arrived,” rather they are Christians who are learning what faith is and how it plays out in people’s lives.

In Jungle Doctor Meets a Lion the doctor and the hospital staff save the life of a hunter who was attacked by a lion. While recovering at the hospital, the young man becomes interested in God. The book tells the story of his growing faith. It is shown in part as he seeks to marry the young Christian teacher who gave blood to save his life. There are many obstacles to their marriage. The lion hunter and the young teacher must learn to trust God and believe that He has a good plan for their lives.

Jungle Doctor Meets a Lion is one of a series of 20 books. The books are available in the States through Amazon.com.

I took a writing class from author Lee Roddy a number of years ago. As a result I purchased one of the books in his D.J. Dillon series. I’ve been a fan ever since. These books seem to respect kids right where they are. The adventures that thirteen-year-old D.J. experiences are exciting and special to his life in the high Sierra Nevada Mountains, but they are the experiences of a kid. The books also show his everyday struggles and successes.

The City Bear’s Adventures is the second book in the series. As this book opens, D.J. and Paul Stagg, the town’s new lay preacher, find a bear cub whose mother has been killed. Left on its own in the wilds, the cub will starve. D.J. convinces Paul to help him capture it so that he can take it home and care for it. Koko gets into lots of mischief and D.J. is kept busy making things right. Owning the cub makes D.J. a local celebrity. When a movie company that is planning to shoot a film in the small mountain town hears of the cub, they offer D.J. and the bear parts in the film. A bully, who claims the cub is his and continues to threaten D.J. brings an added an element of danger and suspense.

On the more “everyday” side, the story tells of the growing friendship between D.J. and Alfred, a new boy in town. I like it that the book acknowledges the importance of friendship in the lives of boys. In our culture we often acknowledge that relationships are important to young girls, but sometimes we forget to affirm for boys that they also want and need friends. Both D.J. and Alfred benefit from their friendship as they tramp the woods together, train the bear to do tricks, and also train D.J.’s dog to track.

Descriptions of nature and animals are simple, but vivid. The reading level is about fifth grade.

This book though is more than an outdoor adventure story. D.J. is a new Christian and he faces challenges to his new faith in God. His father is hot-tempered and antagonistic toward church. Sam Dillon also wants to remarry and the widow has a nine-year-old daughter whom D.J. dislikes. D.J.’s beloved grandfather is in frail health and the boy is worried about him. And then, there’s the fast-growing cub. D.J. knows he cannot keep Koko with him forever, but what should he do? The story gives the reader an opportunity to watch D.J. learn how to respond and live out his faith in God.