*Steeped in Stories by Mitali Perkins: a Discussion

Steeped in Stories is a winsome, thought-provoking celebration of some beloved classics: a Redeemed Reader discussion.

*Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children’s Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls by Mitali Perkins. Broadleaf Books, 2021. 240 pages.

Reading Level: Adult

Recommended For: YA/Adult

Hayley: Why read the classics? Aren’t they out of date? Let alone, how do we face the lack of, well, diversity? 

It’s a topic that raises hackles and brings out strong opinions —yet it’s exactly what Mitali Perkins tackles in her new book, Steeped in Stories. 

When I first heard that Mitali was writing about this, I knew I wanted to read it. Especially given that she’s writing about some of my favorite childhood books. 

Readers, I wasn’t disappointed. Mitali revisits the classics and examines the classical virtues found and displayed in some of her childhood favorites.

Megan, this is similar in a way to how we write about truth/Truth and story/Story. Do you want to elaborate a little bit?

Truth and Story

Megan: Hayley, we live in a fallen world, and that applies to literature as well. Authors are flawed, characters are flawed, and yet we’re all striving for a redemptive Story marked with the Truth that good is good and evil is evil. We long for the joy and satisfaction of a redemptive, happy ending. Finding God’s Truth in Stories that are beautifully written by believers or unbelievers gives us joy and encouragement to press on to the end.

Truth and Wincing

Hayley: One of the things I loved about the book was how unapologetically and winsomely Christian it is in its tone. This is a celebration with gentle reminders that no book is perfect. When she shows how, in Tolkien’s world, any dark-skinned character is bad, I winced. . . . but she doesn’t condemn. She just asks us to remember that each person has a different experience reading and not all books are mirrors for readers —sometimes they are windows. And sometimes the windows can be faulty.

Megan: I winced too, but Perkins did a lovely job of not making me feel guilty for loving my favorite books. It was helpful to read through her eyes, especially as she responded with such grace. Steeped in Stories models loving our neighbor, whether that person is a dead author, imaginary character, or someone from the opposite end of the modern literary criticism spectrum.  

Discussion Sparking

Hayley: One of the things I love about this book is that each chapter ends with a list of questions. They’re the type that are good for self-reflection but would be wonderful for a book club or parent/teen read, too. Beyond that, the content of the book is a wonderful way to start discussions. Mom, you made a good point about Heidi that I hadn’t considered after you read Steeped in Stories and then revisited Heidi . . . . 

Holly: Listening to Heidi, the thing that struck me was the assumption that until Clara was healed and able to walk again, she was missing out on a full life. What about children and adults with special needs that can never be healed this side of heaven? Having an adult son with Down Syndrome, his life is beautiful and wonderful and complete the way it is. His “disability” is what makes him who he is; I would not want him to lose the joy he has in so many things we, as adults, have outgrown.

Hayley: Yes, there’s kind of an unspoken valueless-ness assigned to “cripples” in Heidi that Clara transcends only through healing. And I wouldn’t have considered that if my mom hadn’t read Steeped in Stories and then dug deeper into this classic that we love.

Favorites We Loved

Megan, what struck you about Steeped in Stories? I know I’d love to say some more about Emily of Deep Valley in a moment.

Megan: Okay, I have to confess that I haven’t read Emily of Deep Valley yet, so I skipped that chapter until I could get a copy of the book from the library.

Holly: It made me read Emily of Deep Valley! That book was a timely reminder that interacting with refugees is nothing new in America. Besides Heidi, Steeped in Stories also made me revisit and really enjoy Little Women, too.

Hayley: Megan, you do need to add Emily to your booklist! I happened upon that book in my early 20s, and I loved it for a lot of reasons. The protagonist is so sweet and the setting is so ordinary. However, there is a side to it (caring for Syrian immigrants) that made me wonder how it would be to read it as someone who wasn’t a white midwesterner. Did Lovelace fail in any regards; was I missing anything? It was neat to see how much Mitali loves this same classic for her own set of reasons!

Megan: It’s so easy to criticize people and art rather than try to find good in them, isn’t it? Mitali’s warmth and humility were so hospitable, I felt like I would be welcome to join her for a cup of tea and finish a conversation about books that has only just begun. And if she invited others who I strongly disagree with, I would feel comfortable engaging them in conversation. She was so open about sharing her love for Christ and applied Scripture so effectively; wish I could live next door.

Hayley: So do I! Maybe one day we’ll get together, drink tea, and talk about stories. This lovely book is perfect for thoughtful book lovers, especially given the many discussions swirling about the classics.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

• Worldview/Moral Rating: 5 out of 5
• Literary/Artistic Rating: 4.75 out of 5

Read more about our ratings here.

Related Reading From Redeemed Reader

• A Review: Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
• A Resource: Favorite Classics for Book Lovers
• A Reflection: Books and Stories: Reflection by Gladys Hunt

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