Book Reviews
Every Month is a New Year by Susan L. Roth
By Janie Cheaney |
This picture book gives a neglected holiday its due, celebrating “New Year” around the world with brilliant collage illustrations. Every Month is a New Year: ...
Read More The Books Worth a Library Fine
By Hayley Morell |
This post really happened. It was written at the library with a stack of books and without coffee. It has been left close to its ...
Read More Inkling by Kenneth Oppel
By Janie Cheaney |
Imagination literally runs wild in Inkling, the latest middle-grade novel from popular novelist Kenneth Oppel. Inkling by Kenneth Oppel, with illustrations by Sydney Smith. Knopf, ...
Read More The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street: the Love Your Neighbor Book Club Edition
By Betsy Farquhar |
December is such a wildly busy month: Christmas concerts and recitals and school performances and parties. Travel plans and/or welcoming extended family into your home. ...
Read More The Hungry Cities Chronicles by Philip Reeve
By Janie Cheaney |
The movie version of Mortal Engines opens this weekend. Here's our original review of the series, originally published in January 2011. The Hungry Cities ...
Read More *God Counts by Irene Sun
By Janie Cheaney |
More than a simple counting book, God Counts sets out to teach numerically inclined kids what God is like—through numbers. *God Counts: Numbers in His ...
Read More Special God by Julie Mililli
By Janie Cheaney |
Special God sets out to explain biblical theological concepts to young children and those with special needs. Special God by Julie Mililli, design by Matt ...
Read More Miss Betsy’s Book Nook, 2018 edition
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's time for the annual reporting of what books I, as the Redeemed Reader Managing Editor, buy for those on my gift list! I do ...
Read More Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict
By Janie Cheaney |
This historical novel for teens speculates on a maid who influenced steel magnate Andrew Carnegie to become a philanthropist. Carnegie’s Maid: a Novel by Marie ...
Read More One-Size-Fits-All: Read Aloud Gift Books for the Whole Family!
By Betsy Farquhar |
Need a book idea you can give as a “whole family” gift? Perhaps you want to take along a little “happy” to the friend and ...
Read More The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt Landis
By Betsy Farquhar |
Oliver realizes he doesn't yet know everything about the Civil War in this engaging middle grades novel. The Not-so-Boring Letters of Private Nobody by Matt ...
Read More Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan
By Janie Cheaney |
Three boastful knights bite off more than they can chew in this legendary tale by a popular graphic novelist. Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan. ...
Read More *Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley
By Janie Cheaney |
Wicked Nix, “foulest of the fairies,” encounters a magic that resists all the standard fairy spells: the power of human love. *Wicked Nix by Lena ...
Read More *Tales of Wonder edited by Phillips, Bianco, and Kern
By Betsy Farquhar |
Tales of Wonder provides parents and teachers a wonderful resource to use as they enjoy fairy tales with their students and children. *Tales of Wonder, ...
Read More *Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year
By Megan Saben |
*Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year selected by Fiona Waters, illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. Nosy Crow, 2018, ...
Read More The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean
By Betsy Farquhar |
Fresh, colorful illustrations decorate this reprint of The Jesse Tree as told by master storyteller Geraldine McCaughrean. The Jesse Tree by Geraldine McCaughrean and illustrated by Bee ...
Read More *Picturing America by Hudson Talbot
By Janie Cheaney |
Picturing America is an appealing picture-book biography of one of the originators of distinctive American Art. *Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American ...
Read More *Adrian Simcox does NOT Have a Horse
By Megan Saben |
Adrian insists that he has a horse, but Chloe argues the obvious facts until she learns to see through his eyes. *Campbell, Marcy. Adrian Simcox ...
Read More Good News for Little Hearts: A New Christian Picture Book Series
By Betsy Farquhar |
Three new picture books in the Good News for Little Hearts series help us coach children through difficulties and point them to Christ. Zoe's Hiding ...
Read More The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin
By Janie Cheaney |
In Brangwain Spurge, two idiosyncratic writers team up to tell a story of mutual misunderstanding from distinct perspectives. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M. ...
Read More The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon
By Janie Cheaney |
An instant friendship leads to potential trouble in this engaging, character-driven story for middle grades and early teens. The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla ...
Read More The Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide by Dylan Thuras
By Janie Cheaney |
The juvenile version of the Atlas Obscura travel guide may spark a taste for travel in middle graders. The Atlas Obscura Explorers Guide for the ...
Read More Popular Middle Grade Fantasy Series
By Betsy Farquhar |
Kids banding together to help one another, particularly if the grown-ups are somehow unavailable = the biggest common denominator in middle grade fiction. Not every ...
Read More Preparing for Jesus by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
By Betsy Farquhar |
Preparing for Jesus is a fresh, imaginative Advent devotional that looks at each of the biblical characters in the Christmas story, trying to learn from them ...
Read More *Wild Bells: A Literary Advent by Missy Andrews
By Betsy Farquhar |
Wild Bells: A Literary Advent offers a beautiful Christian literary work, such as a poem, along with a reflection for each day of the Advent ...
Read More *Prepare Him Room by Marty Machowski
By Betsy Farquhar |
Celebrate the birth of Christ with stories, Scripture, and song in this Advent family devotional guide, perfect for busy families or used in a classroom ...
Read More *Hallelujah: A Journey Through Advent with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins
By Betsy Farquhar |
Enjoy both Handel's Messiah and the season of Advent with this succinct-yet rich-guide to both. A good Advent family devotional option for busy families! *Hallelujah: A ...
Read More Tangerine: Love Your Neighbor Book Club Edition
By Betsy Farquhar |
To date this school year, our Love Your Neighbor Book Club has read Save Me a Seat and A Long Walk to Water, both of ...
Read More Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille
By Megan Saben |
What if God took the very instrument that caused your suffering and turned it into a tool of blessing for many? Six Dots: A Story ...
Read More The Grand Escape by Neal Bascomb.
By Janie Cheaney |
This fascinating true account of a prison escape during World War I will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Grand Escape: the ...
Read More Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
By Janie Cheaney |
In this sequel to an earlier book, Louisiana Elephante, all of ten years old, finds herself abandoned in a small Georgia town. Lousiana’s Way Home ...
Read More *Sweep by Jonathan Auxier
By Janie Cheaney |
Sweep combines historical fact with mythical elements to create a compelling story filled with sharp edges and surprising graces. *Sweep: The Story of a Girl ...
Read More Nonfiction Picture Book Round-Up (Fall, 2018 edition)
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's National Picture Book Month, so we're celebrating picture books--both fiction and nonfiction! Nonfiction picture books are a truly exceptional--and often overlooked--way to introduce a ...
Read More New Picture Books Round-Up (Fall, 2018 edition)
By Betsy Farquhar |
November is National Picture Book Month! Here's a collection of new picture books for the whole family. We don't think you need an "excuse" to ...
Read More Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit by CeCe Bell
By Betsy Farquhar |
Rabbit and Robot's friendship is tested when a new friend, Ribbit, enters the scene in this funny easy reader. Rabbit & Robot and Ribbit by ...
Read More We the People … A U.S. Government Booklist
By Betsy Farquhar |
Election Day is just around the corner, and our national media outlets love nothing more than a juicy political story. Gossip and slander aside, though, ...
Read More Big Idea Picture Books
By Janie Cheaney |
Three well-received picture books take on expansive subjects like Love, Imagination, and the Beginning of Everything Imagine! by Raul Colon. Simon & Shuster, 2018, 40 ...
Read More "Hurray for Re-Issues!" by Gladys Hunt
By Janie Cheaney |
A tribute to classic picture books, recently re-issued. In the last few years publishers have been reissuing picture books that are delightful offerings from some ...
Read More A Child’s Guide to RESISTANCE
By Janie Cheaney |
As a national election approaches, three new books urge children toward political involvement and "resistance." Is this a good idea? What Can a Citizen Do? ...
Read More “Look for Illustrators” by Gladys Hunt
By Janie Cheaney |
We're up to the sixteenth in our series of posts by Gladys Hunt, author of Honey for a Child's Heart. In this one, she shares ...
Read More Heroes of WWII: A Book List for Tweens and Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
World War II is perennially interesting and not just to history buffs! We've focused on church history the past couple of years during October, first ...
Read More The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
By Betsy Farquhar |
Natalie is desperate to win an egg drop contest so she can use the prize money to help cure her mom's depression in this sweet middle ...
Read More “Sarah, Plain and Tall Series” by Gladys Hunt
By Betsy Farquhar |
We've got another post from Gladys Hunt for you today about a series beloved to many. For the other posts in this series, please check ...
Read More Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen
By Janie Cheaney |
A teenage girl enlists in the Jewish resistance in Poland during World War II. Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic, 2018, 385 pages. Reading Level: ...
Read More *The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix
By Janie Cheaney |
*The Faithful Spy is an outstanding biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer—and one of the best biographies for kids ever. The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the ...
Read More Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech
By Janie Cheaney |
Nine-year-old Louie volunteers to save Winslow, a newborn mini-donkey, in this gentle story about loss and change. Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech. HarperCollins, 2018, 165 ...
Read More Bob by Wendy Maas and Rebecca Stead
By Janie Cheaney |
Two popular authors team up to write this quirky story about a lovable creature named—of course—Bob. Bob by Wendy Maas and Rebecca Stead. Feiwel & ...
Read More *Brother Hugo and the Bear by Katy Beebe
By Janie Cheaney |
A cryptic aside in a medieval letter is the springboard for this charming story of a monk, a manuscript, and a bear. *Brother Hugo and ...
Read More A Colorful Past by William Boekestein
By Janie Cheaney |
A coloring book for elementary through middle grades offers a sweeping view of church history, from the first century to the twentieth. A Colorful Past: ...
Read More *John Newton by Simonetta Carr
By Janie Cheaney |
John Newton’s colorful life is a welcome addition to the Reformation Heritage series of Christian biographies. *John Newton by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage, 2018, 63 ...
Read More Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed
By Janie Cheaney |
Amal, a Pakistani girl with dreams of an education, finds her dreams derailed in this engaging story for middle graders. Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed. ...
Read More Buried beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani
By Janie Cheaney |
Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree is a tough but vital read for thoughtful Christian teens. Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani. HarperCollins, ...
Read More John McCain: An American Hero by John Perritano
By Betsy Farquhar |
John McCain had more guts and more patriotism than most of his American contemporaries--read all about him in this detailed young adult biography. John McCain: ...
Read More Save Me A Seat: Book Club Tips and Questions
By Betsy Farquhar |
Readers, it's almost October! Let me pour myself some Harney & Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice Tea. (You can have your pumpkin spice lattes!) Are you ...
Read More The ABCs of Building Your Picture Book Collection
By Megan Saben |
What, you thought you could just walk into a bookstore and buy a book? How do you determine whether or not a picture book is ...
Read More “Boys and Books” by Gladys Hunt
By Betsy Farquhar |
This latest in our Gladys Hunt series, which we affectionately call The Hive, looks at the types of books boys enjoy and muses over why so ...
Read More Toaff’s Way by Cynthia Voight
By Janie Cheaney |
A squirrel with a mind of his own navigates the seasons of his first year in this gentle animal story. Toaff’s Way by Cynthia Voight. ...
Read More Black Rock Brothers by S. J. Dahlstrom
By Janie Cheaney |
Wilder Good, now thirteen, continues his outdoor adventures with his biggest challenge yet. Black Rock Brothers (Wilder Good #5) by S. J. Dahlstrom. Paul Dry ...
Read More The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
By Janie Cheaney |
How a sensitive boy handles death and guilt is the subject of The Dollar Kids: one of our “discussion starter” titles. Ages 10-15 The Dollar ...
Read More *Spooked! by Gail Jarrow
By Janie Cheaney |
The Mercury Theater broadcast of "War of the Worlds," a fascinating footnote from American history, has interesting implications for today. Ages 10-15 *Spooked! How a ...
Read More The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History by Ben Thompson
By Janie Cheaney |
A new series about advances in technology begins with the indomitable spirit of the Wright Brothers. The Wright Brothers: Nose-Diving into History (Epic Fails #1) ...
Read More *Tending the Heart of Virtue by Vigen Guroian
By Betsy Farquhar |
How do the classic children's stories awaken a child's moral imagination? And how does that awakening contribute to their spiritual development and training in virtue? ...
Read More Science Ideas in 30 Seconds by Mike Goldsmith
By Janie Cheaney |
In spite of some outdated ideas about science and faith, these 30-second explanations form an interesting tour of science history. Ages 8-15 Science Ideas in ...
Read More The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie
By Janie Cheaney |
A girl struggles to reconcile her needs with her mother's severe mental illness, in this winsome story with some unforgettable characters. Ages 10-15 The Unforgettable ...
Read More A Stitch in Time by Dalphne Kalmer
By Janie Cheaney |
A Stitch in time, a quiet story about death, grieving, and change, takes place in the Vermont countryside of 1920. Ages 10-15 A Stitch in ...
Read More Five Favorites: Old and New
By Hayley Morell |
With leaves changing and school beginning, our Redeemed Reader intern, Zoe Watters, shares five books that can be enjoyed any time of year. As she ...
Read More Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin
By Janie Cheaney |
Illegal, a graphic novel, puts readers into the perils of a refugee from Africa while stimulating important questions about refugees worldwide. Ages 12-15 Illegal by ...
Read More The Lost Books: The Scroll of Kings by Sarah Prineas
By Betsy Farquhar |
An entertaining middle grades fantasy in which the books are alive, the librarian is a snarky but smart kid, and the queen isn't sure what ...
Read More *The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser
By Janie Cheaney |
The five Vanderbeeker children are back, with irrepressible high spirits, good intentions and miscalculations intact. *The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser. ...
Read More The Love Your Neighbor Book Club: Its Beginnings
By Betsy Farquhar |
Love God. Love your neighbor. Those, in brief, are the two greatest commandments, the commandments that sum up all the Law and the Prophets. And one ...
Read More Multicultural Graphic Novels: Akissi and the Dragon Slayer
By Janie Cheaney |
Two graphic novels give readers a glimpse of life and culture in Africa and South America. Ages 7-12 Akissi: Tales of Mischief by Marguerite Abouet ...
Read More Great History Authors for Kids
By Betsy Farquhar |
With school back in session, let's talk history books for kids! No matter who or what your kids or students are studying this year in ...
Read More Can You Identify the Five Nonfiction Categories?
By Janie Cheaney |
The Juvenile nonfiction designation has exploded, especially since the push for Common Core standards was supposed to increase factual reading. Common Core seems to be ...
Read More *A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
By Betsy Farquhar |
This popular middle grades story poignantly recounts the stories of a young boy and a young girl in Africa as one flees civil war and ...
Read More Inside Out and Back Again by Thanha Lai
By Betsy Farquhar |
Inside Out and Back Again is a beautiful, timely middle grades verse novel about a young Vietnamese girl's refugee experience. Inside Out and Back Again ...
Read More Back to School with Babymouse and Og the Frog
By Janie Cheaney |
Two back-to-school series for different ages tickle the funny bone, satirize social conventions, and even stimulate sympathy for others. Ages 6-12 Life According to Og ...
Read More Code Word Courage by Kirby Larson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Code Word Courage highlights the important contribution of the Navajo Code Talkers during WWII as Billie and her dog Bear find comfort back home. Middle ...
Read More Al Capone Throws Me a Curve by Gennifer Choldenko
By Janie Cheaney |
The latest installment in the "Tales from Alcatraz" series deals with mature themes in a sympathetic, engaging way. Ages 12-15 Al Capone Throws Me a ...
Read More The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr
By Janie Cheaney |
Pensive and quiet, The Language of Spells casts its own spell for thoughtful readers—who like dragons. Ages 10-15 The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr, ...
Read More The Legend of Greg by Chris Rylander
By Janie Cheaney |
A humorous and action-packed take on the updated-legend genre (a la Percy Jackson) also offers interesting characters and conflict dynamics. Ages 12-15. The Legend of ...
Read More Picture Book Round-Up: Back to School Picture Books!
By Betsy Farquhar |
Back-to-School time means new pencils, new lunchboxes, new classrooms (or a new look for the dining room table!), and... new emotions. Scared and excited students, ...
Read More Up & Down by Don Brown
By Janie Cheaney |
Graphic novelist Don Brown offers a fascinating picture book about early hydrogen ballooning. Ages 5-10 Up & Down: The Adventures of John Jeffries, First American ...
Read More Pass Go and Collect $200 by Tanya Lee Stone
By Janie Cheaney |
Pass Go and Collect $200 is fun, relatable social history for Monopoly fans and anyone who ever had a great idea. Ages 6-up Pass Go ...
Read More House of Dreams: the Life of L.M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg
By Janie Cheaney |
L.M. Montgomery's life was overshadowed by sadness, but this biography shows how she was able to give the world one of its most beloved literary ...
Read More Sid Fleischman Biographies
By Janie Cheaney |
Near the end of his prolific career, Newbery medalist Sid Fleischman published remarkable biographies of three remarkable men. Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain, 1835-1910), Ehrich ...
Read More The Tragic Tale of Narcissa Whitman by Cheryl Harness
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Tragic Tale of Narcissa Whitman eloquently captures the hardships the early pioneers faced, the missionary ardor that inspired the Whitmans, and the unfortunate events ...
Read More *The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi
By Janie Cheaney |
The Sky at Our Feet treats the immigration issue fairly and compassionately, through the perspective of an Afghan-American boy on the run. Ages 10-15 *The ...
Read More Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids by Simonetta Carr
By Janie Cheaney |
Christian biographer Simonetta Carr explores the life of Cleopatra, one of the most fascinating and mysterious women in history. Ages 10-16 Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt ...
Read More The Flood of Noah by Bodie Hodge & Laura Welch
By Janie Cheaney |
Was there a worldwide flood? The various legends of such a phenomenon are explored and compared in this interactive history book. All ages The Flood ...
Read More Retro Reads: *The Book of the Ancient World by Dorothy Mills
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Book of the Ancient World is just what it sounds like: an interesting book about the ancient world, including Ancient Egypt, Israel, Persia, and ...
Read More The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss
By Janie Cheaney |
A ‘girl called Bicycle’s” improbable adventures during a cross-country bike trip shape the narrative of this fictional exploration of luck. Ages 10-14 The Adventures of ...
Read More Science Picture-Book Roundup
By Janie Cheaney |
Four new science picture books entertain while informing young readers about microbes, sparrows, hawks, and deep-sea exploration. Ages 6-10 The Bacteria Book: the BIG World ...
Read More New Picture Book Biographies Round-up (2018)
By Betsy Farquhar |
We love picture book biographies here at Redeemed Reader, and, thankfully, publishers seem to love them, too! Below are several new picture book biographies, some ...
Read More 50 Wacky Things Animals Do by Tricia Wagner
By Janie Cheaney |
“Wacky facts” about 50 animals introduce young readers to the amazing variety of creation. Ages 6-10 50 Wacky Things Animals Do: Weird and Amazing Animal ...
Read More The Hyena Scientist by Sy Montgomery
By Janie Cheaney |
The Hyena Scientist takes readers on safari to observe a misunderstood species. Ages 8-14 The Hyena Scientist by Sy Montgomery, photography by Nic Bishop. Houghton ...
Read More Fighting the Patriarchy, One Review at a Time
By Janie Cheaney |
Float is a fun summer read about boys being boys, but some of the reviewers had a problem with that. The protagonist of Float, by ...
Read More The Princess Bride by William Goldman
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Princess Bride is just as delightful in book form as it is in movie form (or vice versa, depending on which you've already experienced!). ...
Read More *Hope in the Holler by Lisa Lewis Tyre
By Janie Cheaney |
In this lively novel, a recently-orphaned girl finds "hope and a future" in the midst of poverty and bereavement. Ages 10-14. *Hope in the Holler ...
Read More The American Revolution by Ben Thompson
By Janie Cheaney |
The latest addition to the "Guts and Glory" series is a readable and engaging history of the American Revolution for middle graders. Ages 10-15 The ...
Read More Diversity in Mini-Biographies: Refugees, African Americans, and More!
By Betsy Farquhar |
Diversity is a siren call these days, and, in regards to standard history book treatment of ethnic minorities and women, it's often needed. Check Your ...
Read More