Posts by Hayley Morell
*A Little Taste of Poison by R. J. Anderson
The stakes are higher than ever for Isaveth Breck, plucky heroine of A Pocketful of Murder, when the future of her city is threatened. A Little Taste of Poison (Uncommon Magic, #2) by R. J. Anderson. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016, 359 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, 12-15 Recommended for: ages 12 and up *Spoiler Alert…
Read More*A Pocket Full of Murder by R. J. Anderson
A plucky girl sets out to prove her father’s innocence —aided by a street boy— in this magical murder mystery. A Pocket Full of Murder (Uncommon Magic, #1) by R. J. Anderson. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2015, 352 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, 12-15 Recommended for: ages 12 and up Isaveth Breck is not one…
Read MoreAmerican Ace by Marilyn Nelson
Engaging and short, one teenager’s search for answers will leave readers wanting to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen. American Ace by Marilyn Nelson. Dial Books, 2016, 117 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, Ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 15 and up Connor is a normal teen, “half Irish, half Italian.” His grandmother’s death and his father’s…
Read MoreSpindle by Shonna Slayton
New England mill girls, fairies, suffragettes, and a curse reaching across the years blend together in this retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Spindle by Shonna Slayton. Entangled: Teen, 2016, 4oo pages Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 15 and up Recommended for: ages 15 and up With her 17th birthday approaching, Briar Rose has plenty on her mind.…
Read MoreChurch History with Tim Challies
Today we are happy to bring you a virtual interview with pastor, author, and blogger extraordinaire —Tim Challies. Tim serves as a pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario. He is the author of 5 books, and he is a book reviewer for World Magazine. He blogs about books, faith, theology, and culture at…
Read MoreSaints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages by George Hodges
An engaging account of notable figures from the ancient church to the end of the Middle Ages. Saints and Heroes to the End of the Middle Ages by George Hodges. Yesterday’s Classics, 2006 (Originally published 1911), 188 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 12-14 Recommended For: Read aloud for ages 10 and up: independant reading…
Read MoreGetting to Know A. A. Milne (1882 – 1956)
It began with a poem. A poem about a little boy saying his prayers. A. A. Milne gave it to his wife, and she mailed it to a magazine —where it was published. Soon there were calls for more. Milne, already a published author and playwright, obliged, and When We Were Very Young, a…
Read MoreGod’s Story: A Student’s Guide to Church History by Brian Cosby
An engaging flyover of church history for young teens. God’s Story: A Student’s Guide to Church History by Brian Cosby. Christian Focus Publications, 2014. 138 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 12-15 Where did TULIP come from and why do we remember Augustine? All of these, and many more questions are…
Read More*The Ology by Marty Machowski
In The Ology, children and families can access deep Biblical truths, carefully explained and gorgeously illustrated. The Ology by Marty Machowski, illustrations by Andy McGuire. New Growth Press, 2015. Reading Level: Ages 8-10 Recommended For: All Ages Poking through the church basement, two children discover an ancient book in an hidden room. A letter within…
Read MoreUnder a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee
In Under a Painted Sky, the events of one day change Sammy from a moody teenage girl to a fugitive striking out into the west. Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2015, 370 pages Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 15 – 18 Recommended for: Ages 16 and up When her father…
Read MoreAllegiant: It Was a Book First!
The Divergent series by Veronica Roth, a self-avowed Christian, lives on as Allegiant hits theaters this week. Below, Hayley reflects Allegiant in book form. Allegiant, by Veronica Roth. Katherine Tegen Books, 2013, 544 pages. Age/interest level: 14 – up. Beginning in Divergent, readers have followed the life and decisions of Beatrice, “Tris” Prior in a future Chicago governed…
Read MoreIndiana Jones has Nothing on Vesper Holly!
This post is brought to you from Redeemed Reader’s archives; please enjoy! Ginger-haired, green-eyed, and very determined, 16-year-old Vesper Holly is ready for anything, especially an adventure. Possessing “the digestive talents of a goat and the mind of a chess master. . . . She is familiar with half a dozen languages and can swear fluently in all…
Read MoreRomance + Reading = Love
Once Upon a Time… … there was a little girl who loved stories and fairytales. She discovered Andrew Lang’s colored fairy books and read through them—pretty colors first and not-so-pretty colors (like olive!) later. She had a peculiarity though: she only read the stories with princes or princesses. And, she felt cheated if there wasn’t a romance.…
Read MoreFive Family Read Alouds
Long winter nights and the occasional snow day make for excellent read-aloud weather. Here are five favorites that can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Read MoreSeptimus Heap
Originally published a couple years ago, this post explores one fantasy series for middle grade readers. You know you have a good book . . . . . . when you love it so much that as soon as you finish it, you read it aloud to your younger siblings, and they love it. You…
Read More*Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace
Coming-of-age, romance, and historical fiction is combined in a little-known novel, Emily of Deep Valley, by a classic American author. *Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace. William Morrow Paperbacks, 2010 (Reprint, orig. 1950). 336 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 12 and up While all her classmates are going off…
Read MoreThe Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde
The Last Dragonslayer: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 1 by Jasper Fforde. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2013. 306 pages Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 14 and up Bottom Line: In an engaging alternative reality, punctuated with interesting sentences and quirky British humor, a teenage girl faces sorcerers, politics, and a dragon. Jennifer…
Read MoreFour Ways to Enjoy Fall Reading
While summer is a nice time to read —fall is here. A season of chilly nights and hot cups of tea, fall brings the perfect weather for curling up with a good book. On the other hand, time can be limited, so here are four ways to enjoy and maximize your fall reading. 1. Read…
Read MoreRed Rising by Pierce Brown
This review is brought to us by Ann Rees Berry, who has now finished an internship with Redeemed Reader. Thank you, Ann! Red Rising by Pierce Brown. Del Ray (Random House), 2014. 382 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 15-18 Recommended for: Young Adults, ages 16-18 Bottom Line: Darrow, a helldiver on Mars, learns a…
Read MoreOliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve
Oliver and the Seawigs by Philip Reeve. Random House, Reading Level: Middle Grades, Ages 8-10 Recommended For: Ages 8-10 Bottom Line: A rollicking chapter book adventure with missing parents, mysterious islands, and one determined boy. When Oliver’s parents disappear while exploring a mysterious island, 10-year-old Oliver Crisp doesn’t panic. He is made of sterner stuff. After all,…
Read MoreMara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw. Puffin, 1985, 288 pages Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-14 Recommended for: Ages 12-up Bottom Line: Ancient Egypt comes alive through historical fiction when romance and intrigue meet in the life of a slave girl. As Mara, Daughter of the Nile opens, Hatshepsut is pharaoh. While Hatshepsut pours…
Read MoreIllusionarium by Heather Dixon
A darker steam-punk fantasy, Illusionarium will be enjoyed by teenage boys and girls who enjoy alternative reality.
Read MoreSalamandastron (Redwall series, Book 5) by Brian Jacques
This review is brought to us by Malachi Stade, who just finished a semester internship with Redeemed Reader. Thank you, Malachi! Salamandastron (Redwall series, Book 5) by Brian Jacques. Firebird, Reissue edition, 2003 (originally published 1992). 400 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10 and up Bottom Line: In a stirring…
Read MoreGoblins by Philip Reeve
Goblins by Philip Reeve. Scholastic Press, 2012. 340 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 12 and up Bottom Line: The Hobbit meets Septimus Heap, with a dose of Lloyd Alexander-esque unlikely hero added. Old Breslaw, the hatchling master, recognized something different about Skarper. While treasure-loving Goblins have no use for “white crinkly stuff, covered in little wriggly…
Read More*Hostage Run by Andrew Klavan (The MindWar Trilogy, Book 2)
Hostage Run (The MindWar Trilogy, Book 2) by Andrew Klavan. Thomas Nelson, 2015. 352 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Recommended for: Ages 12 and up Bottom Line: In the exciting sequel to MindWar, Rick Dial continues to battle Kurodar through the cyber world of the Realm. Life has changed for Rick Dial since MindWar. His family is reunited,…
Read MoreA Castle Full of Cats by Ruth Sanderson
A Castle Full of Cats by Ruth Sanderson. Random House, 2015. 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8 Once upon a time a king and a queen lived in a castle filled with cats. And while the queen loved her cats, the king was not a cat person. The cats, as cats are so…
Read MoreShadow Scale by Rachel Hartman
Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman. Random House, 2015. 610 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 15-18 Bottom Line: Seraphina, a half-dragon, half-human ityasaari, is desperately trying to rally her fellow ityasaari to the aid of her country, Goredd, but must first face her own personal nemesis. Three years ago, a debut fantasy novel about a young girl gained national…
Read MoreAn Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund
An Uncertain Choice by Jody Hedlund. Zondervan, 2015. 249 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 15 – 18 Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15 – 18) and up Bottom Line: A beautiful maiden, an unbreakable vow, a mysterious sickness, and a sudden change of events are all parts of Jody Hedlund’s Christian historical romance. Lady Rosemarie Montefort is content to enter…
Read More*Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg
Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg. Puffin Books,reprint edition, 1986. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-4 Recommended for: ages 0-4 Bottom Line: Young and old will enjoy the Ahlberg’s whimsical and interactive I-Spy book. In this book with your little eye, take a look and play eye spy! On each page of this engaging and…
Read More*Mockingbird by Allan Ahlberg
Mockingbird by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Paul Howard. Candlewick Press, 1998. 24 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-4 Recommended for: ages 0-4 Bottom Line: Young children will love Ahlberg’s sweet version of this classic lullaby. Hush little baby, don’t say a word… How many times have we sung this? Yet after the first verse, isn’t it hard to…
Read MoreReading about Romance
Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved stories and fairytales. She discovered Andrew Lang’s colored fairy books and read through them—pretty colors first and not-so-pretty colors (like olive!) later. She had a peculiarity though,she only read the stories with princes or princesses. And, she felt cheated if there wasn’t a romance.…
Read MoreFairest by Marissa Meyer
Fairest by Marissa Meyer. Feiwel and Friends, 2015. 220 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 15-18 Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15-18) and up Bottom Line: In an originally unplanned prequel, readers are given the backstory for Queen Levana, a tale that mirrors the darkness of its protagonist. If the title hasn’t already triggered a fairytale memory, think of an evil stepmother and a mirror.…
Read MoreFive Reasons to Read for Pleasure in College
I am a college student. I am also an avid reader. As I talk to fellow students, I have realized that it is a rarity to read for pleasure. Some students talk about books and how they used to like reading. How they don’t have time any more. Their time is consumed with reading-for-school, and homework, and regular work. In their…
Read MoreAvalon by Mindee Arnett
Avalon by Mindee Arnett, Balzer + Bray, 2014. 415 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, (ages 12-14) and up Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15-18) and up Readers meet Jethro Seagrave and his band of Malleus Shades in the middle of stealing a spaceship. Jeth and his friends live in a futuristic world of planets and spaceports, most of…
Read MoreSir Thomas the Hesitant by Liam Perrin
Sir Thomas the Hesitant by Liam Perrin. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013. 254 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12 and up Maturity Level: 4 (ages 11-12) and up Thomas has a rather uneventful life, living in the shadow of his perfect big brother, William. Aside from a nasty famine, life is relatively quiet in…
Read MorePathfinder by Angie Sage
Pathfinder by Angie Sage. Katherine Tegen Books, 2014. 460 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Maturity Level: 4 (age 10 and up) Pathfinder brings middle-grade fantasy lovers back to the world of Septimus Heap. But instead of the lively Heap family, readers are introduced to Alice TodHunter Moon. Tod, as she prefers to be called,…
Read MoreStorm Siren by Mary Weber
Storm Siren by Mary Weber. Thomas Nelson, 2014. 333 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15-18) and up Nymia (“Nym” for short) has 14 circles etched on her arm: fourteen circles for 14 owners. She is a slave with a secret that can and has destroyed. Nym is elemental but unable to…
Read MoreOne Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul
This review was written by a Redeemedreader intern and high school student. Thanks, Grace! One Realm Beyond by Donita K. Paul. Zondervan, 2014. 416 pgs. Reading Level: Young Adults, 12 – 14 Maturity Level: 5 (ages 12 – 14) and up There is a place where dragons and humans live side by side, a…
Read MoreHouse of Hades
The House of Hades by Rick Riordan. Hyperion Books, 2013, 583 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 11 and up Maturity Level: 6 My younger siblings adore Percy Jackson. When I finally checked out the latest installment in the Heroes of Olympus series, House of Hades, they were itching to borrow it. Until House of Hades, I had…
Read MoreVigilante Poets
The Vigilante Poets of Selwyn Academy by Kate Hattemer. Alfred A. Knopf, 2014, 323 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, Ages 15 – 18 Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15 – 18) Selwyn Academy is facing a serious threat. Conversations at this art-focused Minnesota high school used to revolve around “people debating the merits of Aida versus Rigoletto… But now?…
Read MoreThe Finisher by David Baldacci
The Finisher by David Baldacci. Scholastic, 2014, 497 pages. Reading level: Young Adults, 15-18 Maturity level: 6 What do you get when you blend a medieval town with a bit of magic and science fiction, then add a small dose of dystopian bleakness? A place like Wormwood. Vega Jane is a teenage inhabitant of Wormwood. …
Read MoreWhere Angels Tread
The Garden Gate, by Christa Kinde. Zondervan, 2014, 301 pages. Age level: 10-up Prissie Pomeroy can see angels. In fact, most of her friends are angels. In this fourth book in the Threshold series, change is coming to West Edinton. Prissie and her family face change firsthand as their family business, both orchard and…
Read MoreThoughts on The Giver
During the Summer Reading Challenge, Redeemed Reader interns Amos Peck and Grace Olson, Valen Caldwell, intern at Breakpoint.org, and I –Hayley Schoeppler, Redeemed Reader’s executive assistant– got together (via Skype!) and discussed The Giver. Here are some highlights from our discussion. Summary The Giver is written by Lois Lowry . . . . The protagonist’s name…
Read MoreGenesis in Space and Time by Francis Schaeffer
This review was originally written by Valen Caldwell as part of the 2014 Summer Reading Challenge. Genesis in Space and Time by Francis Schaeffer. Intervarsity Press, 1972. 167 pgs. Genesis in Space and Time by Francis Schaeffer is a book about origins, as might be guessed from its title. In the book, Schaeffer…
Read More*The House of Arden by E. Nesbit
The House of Arden by E. Nesbit. NYR Children’s Collection, 2006 reprint. 260 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8 – 10 Bottom Line: Two children, a surprise inheritance, a missing father, and a mouldiwarp are all parts of this time-travel adventure by classic British author, E. Nesbit. Step back in time to another time, a…
Read MoreSRC Week 4, Teen List: Out of the Silent Planet
Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week Four: 1) Kids. 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Five: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Six: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. THE DISCUSSION In our dicussion today,…
Read MoreSRC, Week 4: The House of Arden
Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week Four: 1) Kids. 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Five: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Six: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. SUMMER READING CHALLENGE (SRC), Week 4…
Read MoreThe Winner’s Curse
It began with a simple conversation, Marie Rutkoski explains: . . . while sitting with my friend Vasiliki Skreta on a dark blue gym mat in the children’s playroom of our apartment building. Vasiliki is an economist, and we were discussing auctions. She mentioned the concept of the “winner’s curse.” Quite simply, it describes how…
Read MoreCress and The Lunar Chronicles
When you came to my jail cell and dropped this whole princess thing on me . . . how was I supposed to react? All of a sudden I went from being nobody to being long-lost royalty, and you expected me to jump up and accept this destiny that you’d worked out in your head, but…
Read MoreUkraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 3
In this third part of our series, Hayley shares a list of nonfiction titles that encompass both Ukraine and Russia. (Here are links to part one and part two.) Eyewitness Books: Russia by Kathleen Berton Murrell Did you know that the first Russian state, during the Middle Ages, was the Kievan Rus’? Name look familiar?…
Read MoreThe Lunar Chronicles, continued
Scarlet by Marissa Meyer. Feiwel and Friends, 2013. 452 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. As a sequel, Scarlet picks up right where Cinder ended. Linh Cinder, now a fugitive fleeing New Bejiing, is struggling to accept the reality she has only just learned. . . . she wasn’t just a cyborg anymore. She was Lunar now. She…
Read MoreUkraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Pt. 2
Last week, we began our Ukrainian series with a personal reflection from our executive assistant, Hayley. Having recently visited orphans in Ukraine, Hayley gave us insight into their situation, which is only made more tenuous by the current political upheaval. And most importantly, she gave us a detailed look at how we (and our kids!) can…
Read MoreRetro Reads: Lloyd Alexander’s Vesper Holly Series
Readers will have a hard time forgetting Lloyd Alexander’s plucky heroine, Vesper Holly.
Read MoreCinder by Marissa Meyer
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2012. 387 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12 – 15 Recommended For: 6 (ages 15 – 18) and up Bottom Line: Lovers of fantasy, science fiction, and dystopia will enjoy Marissa Meyer’s intriguing futuristic retelling of Cinderella. Linh Cinder is a teenage mechanic, the best mechanic in New Beijing. She…
Read MoreCyborg Cinderella
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Square Fish, 2012. 387 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. Linh Cinder is a teenage mechanic, the best mechanic in New Beijing. She is also a cyborg, part of her limbs robotic due to a childhood accident. Early in the story, Cinder meets Prince Kai, heir apparent of New Beijing. Kai needs…
Read MoreMiddle Grade Fantasy: Twistrose and Jinx
Fantasy for middle grades (4th-8th/ages 9-12) is ever expanding. Hayley and Betsy look at two new additions to the field, both of which look light and cheerful on the outside (talking animals, colored thought bubbles, other worlds) but contain deeper thematic elements under the surface. Hayley reviews The Twistrose Key, and Betsy looks at Jinx’s Magic. The…
Read MoreThe Spiritual World of The Hobbit + Giveaway
(Giveaway is now closed) The ever-increasing popularity of Middle Earth has brought a profusion of books written about both J. R.R. Tolkien and his created world. The recent Hobbit movies have focused this popularity on Tolkien’s prequel to The Lord of the Rings. Those who love to read about the unexpected journey of Bilbo Baggins…
Read MoreEyes of Lightning
I have issues . . . more than I can count. I’m stubborn, prideful, a so-called religious fanatic, and a tomboy with freakish eyes. My family and upbringing are both abnormal, and I might be harboring a thousand-year-old spirit. Most relevant of all -I hate showing weakness. Eyes of Lightning (Thunderbird Legacy), by Erin Keyser Horn. 2012, 267 pages. …
Read MoreCity of Bones: Movie Review
As the cinematic version of City of Bones hits theaters this week,
Read MoreIt’s Greek to Me!
This week in our Summer Reading Challenge, we’re visiting Greece. So, thanks to our newest addition to the Redeemedreader family, Hayley Schoeppler, for leading us today and in our recent Lightning Thief post! Maybe it was the influence of Percy Jackson, maybe it was the D’Aulaires, but now you have a reader who wants to learn…
Read MoreSummer Reading Challenge, Week 6: The Lightning Thief
Welcome to Week 6 of our Summer Reading Challenge! If you’d like to see other posts in this series,
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