Book Reviews

Lemonade and Lit, Week 7: Klavan Discussion

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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Two Books about China

Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu, Illustrated by Andres Vera Martinez.  Graphic Universe TM, 2013.  96 pgs.  Grades 4-7.  When I ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Week 7: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Don't forget to fill out the Redeemed Reader 2013 Survey if you haven't done so! (There's a giveaway involved!) Still hangin' in there with us? ...
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Lemonade and Lit, Week 6: The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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*The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins

*The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, 40 pages Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-8 and up (especially ...
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*Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette Cate

*Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard, by Annette le Blank Cate.  Candlewick, 2013, 54 pages.   Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ...
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It’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 ...
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Summer 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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Lemonade and Lit, Week 5: Beauty Discussion

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson

A lonely boy and a lonely girl team up to rescue their dog friends and end up each finding a true home in this feel-good ...
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White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan

A gentle chapter book that explores family emotional issues with a big dose of furry love on the side. White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan. ...
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Boy + Dog = Good Read

Boy + dog is a solid formula that's been in play in the literary world for decades. How many of you read Old Yeller in ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Week 5: The Light Princess

Welcome to Week 5 of our Summer Reading Challenge!  If you'd like to see other posts in this series, check out our Summer Reading Challenge ...
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Interesting Picture Book Biographies (Librarians’ List)

Many people think picture books should be left behind in the preschool years. Megan and I heartily disagree with that sentiment, and we invite you ...
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American Lives

“There is properly no history, only biography,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson—an exaggeration with a lot of truth in it.  When I was growing up, I ...
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Three Days in July

One hundred and fifty years ago, two great armies collided in a small Pennsylvania town.  The actual site of the battle was not planned, but ...
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Lemonade and Lit, Week 3: Beauty by Robin McKinley

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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Mission Work for Kids: Sewing School and Crafts for Hope

In our Summer Reading Challenge, we've just read the story of Nate Saint, one of the men who entered glory alongside Jim Elliot trying to ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Wk 3: Nate Saint: Operation Auca

Have you seen our new tab for the Summer Reading Challenge?  In it, you'll find all the links to our Summer Reading Challenge--both the main ...
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Two Ways to See the World

Geography, like Grammar (and God), is a neglected subject in today’s public school system. Too bad—I well recall my sixth grade teacher Mrs. Nelson, a ...
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Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 2: Booked Discussion

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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Eat, Pray, Read…and Eat Again! Around the World Food Facts with Nive Burris

In our trip around the world (see our Summer Reading Challenge), what could be more fun than using food to explore different cultures?  Today, Nive ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Week 3: Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Introduction We've added a Summer Reading Challenge tab at the top of our website, to help you keep up with the posts as the summer ...
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Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 1: Booked by Karen Swallow Prior

Other Lemonade and Lit posts:  Introduction, Week One: Booked, Week Two: Booked Discussion, Week Three: Beauty, Week Four: Sexuality in Booked, Week Five: Beauty Discussion, ...
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Let’s Take a Road Trip–and Write a Story!

Our Around the World reading challenge book this week is The Middle of Somewhere, and it’s written by . . . um . . . ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Week 2: The Middle of Somewhere by (our very own) J. B. Cheaney

If you're new to our Summer Reading Challenge, welcome! If you started our Around the World adventure last week with us, congratulations and let's continue ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Wk 1: Interview with John Branyan

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for our Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) extras!  In case you missed it, here is the Introduction, our list of ...
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Summer Reading Challenge, Week 1: Around the World by Matt Phelan

***To find out more about this challenge, see  our Summer Reading Challenge introduction.  Other posts related to Matt Phelan's books include our Interview with John ...
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Whalesong: A Review by Nathan Huffstutler

Earlier this year, when I first heard the name Robert Siegel doing research for these book reviews last April at World Magazine, I learned Siegel ...
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Throwing Strikes with R. A. Dickey

Throwing Strikes: My Quest for Truth and the Perfect Knuckleball, by R. A. Dickey.  Dial, 2013, 296 pages.  Age/interest level: 12-16. Last year Dickey’s autobiography, ...
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cover of We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson

We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson. Jump at the Sun, 2008. 96 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages ...
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The Poppy Lady

Have you ever received a handmade tissue-paper poppy in exchange for a donation to the American Legion outside of a store on Memorial or Veteran's ...
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Christian Romance: part of a well-balanced “book diet”?

A Balanced "Book Diet" Reading is like eating: you need a variety of wholesome ingredients, a little sugar, and a little moderation across the board. ...
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Hattie Ever After: A Review

Today, I'm happy to welcome our current intern,Hayley Schoeppler, again.  You guys may recall that she did a review of Mara, Daughter of the Nile ...
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Steaming into Sunset: an Interview with Sherri Rinker

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (see our review here) hurled Sherri Rinker’s star into the picture-book firmament.  Accepted by the first publisher she submitted it to, ...
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Gifts for Grads: Our Picks

For a parent, there’s nothing scarier than sending a high school graduate out into the world—and in fact, the world looks pretty scary these days.  ...
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And the winners are…

Volunteering to judge a poetry contest is simultaneously one of the best and the worst jobs I could have asked for. The best, because it is ...
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Words for Life: Bibles for Teens and Graduates

In an earlier post I wrote about beginners “Bibles” and Bible storybooks.  That was followed up by a post on the methods and merits of ...
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cover of Sammy and His Shepherd

Sammy and His Shepherd by Susan Hunt and Cory Godbey

Sammy and His Shepherd by Susan Hunt and Cory Godbey. Reformation Trust, 2008. 56 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-8 Geared for slightly younger children ...
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cover of Cassie and Caleb Discover God's Wonderful Design

Cassie and Caleb Discover God’s Wonderful Design by Susan Hunt and Richie Hunt

Cassie and Caleb Discover God's Wonderful Design by Susan Hunt and Richie Hunt. Moody, 2013. 96 pages. Reading Level: Devotional, ages 4-8 Susan Hunt and ...
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Short Summer-Length Devotionals for Families

Summer's Just Around the Corner! My family's summer schedule is quite different from our school year schedule. What with travel, fun in the sun, and ...
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Poetry Contest Update!

Poetry Contest Closed and Winners Announced Soon! Our Poetry Contest is officially closed--many thanks to all the contestants! We received some fantastic entries, more than ...
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No Battlefield Like Home

Chasing Jupiter, by Rachel Coker.  Zondervan, 2012, 221 pages.  Age/interest level: 12-up. Our story begins in small-town Georgia, 1969—but 16-year-old Scarlett’s world seems even smaller ...
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Interview with Judah Ben: Kai’Ro, Christian Rap and the Progress of Urban Pilgrims

Introduction There are very few modern books that I see as really significant.  But I see the Kai' Ro series--an urban interpretation of Pilgrim's Progress--by ...
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Hail and Farewell, Part 2: Russell Hoban

As noted in last Tuesday’s post,I encountered Maurice Sendak when I was myself a child.  My acquaintance with Russell Hoban had to wait until I ...
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Bible Review: NIV Rock Solid Faith Study Bible for Teens

Rock Solid Faith introduces teens to the principles and characters of the Bible in a generally helpful way. Rock Solid Faith Study Bible for Teens.  ...
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A Novel in Verse and Verse in a Novel

We're rounding out our Poetry Month coverage with three books for middle-graders: Gone Fishing: a Novel in Verse, by Tamera Will Wissinger, illustrated by Matthew ...
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Inspiring (very) young artists

God is a God of words and pictures. He has revealed Himself to us through words in Scripture and visually in creation, and made us in ...
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Hail and Farewell: Maurice Sendak

I first encountered the Latin phrase Ave Atque Vale in a historical novel whose appeal (the novel’s, that is) was almost entirely nostalgic.  It means ...
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Shark Girl: Drama in Real Life (and in fiction)

This post has been planned for a couple of weeks, but I wanted to acknowledge a potentially sensitive connection with the victims of the recent ...
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Good Old Fashioned Adventure

The False Prince (2012) and The Runaway King (2013), by Jennifer A. Nielson.  Scholastic, about 350 pages each.  Age/interest level: 10-up. When we first encounter ...
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Destiny, Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice

Destiny, Rewritten, by Kathryn Fitzmaurice.  HarperCollins, 2013, 335 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-12 (especially girls) Bottom Line: Destiny, Rewritten ...
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A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff

A Tangle of Knots, by Lisa Graff.  Philomel, 2013, 233 pages.  Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-12 and up Bottom Line: ...
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Poetry Anthologies

A good poetry anthology is like going to a friend's house with a basket, and being told, "Oh, you must read this one, and this one, and ...
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The Real Sherlock Holmes

Arthur Conan Doyle published the first Sherlock Holmes story in a British periodical in 1887, to moderate interest.  Three novels and fifty-odd short stories later, ...
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cover of red sings from treetops

Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Mifflin, 2009. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages ...
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Waxing Poetic: a pop quiz and some homework from the teacher

It's National Poetry Month! Who cares, right? Well, YOU should care. Not because it's "National Poetry Month," per se, but because poetry is worth enjoying ...
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Poetry Contest and Challenge for National Poetry Month!

April is National Poetry Month, and we here at Redeemed Reader love to be in on any literary action. Therefore, Megan and I are sponsoring ...
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Final Four (Plus One)

This post should have gone up during March Madness, but even if the NCAA tournament is over this weekend, the NBA has few months to ...
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Bible Review: The Deep Blue Kids Bible

The Deep Blue Kids Bible (CEB), 2012, Abingdon Press, 1526 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: no one Bottom Line: The Deep ...
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*Bible Review: ESV Grow! Bible

*ESV Grow! Bible.  Crossway, 2011, 1600 pages.  Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-12 and up Bottom Line: The ESV Grow! Bible ...
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Bible Review: NLT Hands-on Bible

NLT Hands-on Bible, Tyndale for Kids, 2010, 1440 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-10 Bottom Line: Though it leads off ...
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*Bible Review: NKJV Early Readers Bible

*NKJV Early Readers Bible. Thomas Nelson, 2006, 1664 pages.  Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-14 and up Bottom Line: This New ...
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Bible Review: The One-Year Bible For Children

The One-Year Bible for Children by Gilbert Beers.  Tyndale, 2001, 432 pages. Reading Level: Chapter Books, ages 6-8 Recommended for: ages 6-8 Bottom Line: Though ...
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Bible Review: NIV Faithgirlz! Bible

NIV Faithgirlz! Bible.  Zonderkidz, 2012, 1504 page.  Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-12 (especially girls!) Bottom Line: The Faithgirlz! Bible, geared ...
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Bible Review: NIV Boys Bible

NIV Boys' Bible.  Zonderkidz, 2012, 1504 pages.  For ages 9-13. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-12 (obviously, boys) Bottom Line: The ...
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*Bible Review: ESV Children’s Bible

*ESV Children’s Bible.  Crossway, 2008, 1648 pages.   Reading level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10. Recommended for: ages 6-10 Bottom Line: The ESV contains excellent study helps, ...
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*Bible Review: HCSB Illustrated Study Bible for Kids

*The HCSB Illustrated Study Bible for Kids.  Boardman and Holman, 2007, 1104 pages.  Recommended for: ages 7-12. Available in a variety of covers to appeal ...
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Bible Review: The Kids’ Devotional Bible NIrV

Kids' Devotional Bible, NIrV.  Zonderkidz, 2006, 1664 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-10 Bottom Line: The Kids' Devotional Bible is ...
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Bible Review: Adventure Bible NIV

Adventure Bible, NIV.  Zondervan, 2013 (latest edition), 1459 pages.  Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-12 Bottom Line: The Adventure Bible set ...
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Sorting Out the Children’s Bible Market

Yesterday’s post addressed the general subject of children’s Bibles and how to evaluate them for the particular needs of each child and family.  But all ...
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*Bible Review: The HCSB Illustrated Study Bible

*The HCSB Illustrated Study Bible for Kids.  Boardman and Holman, 2007, 1104 pages.  Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Bottom Line: ...
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Choosing Your Child’s First REAL Bible: Some Considerations

Last Tuesday we looked at a range of new Bible storybooks and early reader “Bibles.”  On Friday, we picked our way through the field of ...
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*Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens

Tops and Bottoms is a clever folktale that illustrates the wisdom of diligence and warning against laziness in the book of Proverbs. *Tops and Bottoms ...
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Cover of My Lucky Day

*My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza. Puffin, 2005. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8 When a fat pig shows up at a hungry ...
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Proverbs, Tricksters and Fools

The book of Proverbs is full of instructions for the simple to obtain wisdom and avoid disaster. Stories about tricksters demonstrate common-grace examples of using ...
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cover of The Gardener

*The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small

Lydia shares her efforts to bring beauty to the world around her in this epistolary picture book. *The Gardener by Sarah Stewart and David Small. ...
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Toddling into the Word: First Bible Storybooks and Early-Reader Bibles

What could be more appropriate for Holy Week than a survey of children’s Bibles and Bible storybooks?  That’s what I foolishly thought, treatment but this ...
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Easter Picks from the New Crew

We thought we'd kick off our new partnership with Megan and Betsy with a few Easter book recommendations.  (If you missed their introduction, read about ...
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Food for the Soul–and for the Reader

My mother-in-law once observed how different life would be if we didn’t have to eat.  She might have been having a bad day, because in ...
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New Nonfiction: Titanic, Moonbird, and Bodyguards

These three books have nothing in common except their general category and the fact that the first two won honors in the ALA Youth Media ...
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The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus 3) by Rick Riordan

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3), by Rick Riordan.  Hyperion, 2012, 608 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Maturity Level: 4 (ages ...
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Zeus, King of the Gods by George O’Connor

Zeus, King of the Gods, (#1 in The Olympians graphic-novel series) by George O’Connor.  First Second, 2012, 80 pages. Reading Level: Picture books (graphic novel), ...
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The Adventures of Achilles by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden

The Adventures of Achilles, by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden, illustrated by Carole Henaff.  Barefoot Books, 2012, 96 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages10-12 Maturity ...
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Classics for Kids: The Greek and Romans

Introduction With the popularity of Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series , kids' books containing themes and allusions to Greek and Roman mythology and culture ...
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The Hard Work of Growing Up

It’s what every child has to do, and they accomplish it with varying degrees of success.  In a sense, "growing up" is the theme of ...
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Cake: Love, Chickens, and a Taste of Peculiar by Joyce Magnin

Cake: Love, Chickens and a Taste of Peculiar, by Joyce Magnin.  Zonderkidz, 2013, 221 pages.  Age/interest level: 8-14. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended ...
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Ancient History: Mara, Daughter of the Nile

This week, we'll be looking at several books that deal with ancient history--including Greek and Roman culture.  Toward that end,  I asked our intern, Hayley ...
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Bible Review: KJV Kids’ Study Bible

KJV Kids’ Study Bible.  Zonderkidz, 2001.  1600 pages Reading level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 (for study features) Recommended for: ages 8-12 Bottom Line: Child-friendly activities ...
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Bliss by Katherine Littlewood

Bliss, by Kathryn Littlewood.  HarperCollins, 2012, 374 pages.  Age/interest level: 10-14. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Bottom Line: Bliss mixes ...
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*Greek Myths by Marcia Williams

*Greek Myths by Marcia Williams.  Candlewick, 2011.  Ages 4-up.  Reading Level: Picture Books, Ages 4-8, Ages 8-10, Ages 10-12 Marcia Williams' Greek Myths is a ...
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Three for Black History Month

I know—Black History month just ended.  I’m not a fan of segregated “histories”: in case you haven’t noticed, this is the first day of Women’s ...
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ALA Awards: Newberys and Caldecotts, Splendors and Glooms

One month ago was “Oscar night for Librarians,” when the American Library Association announced their “best of” picks for children’s literature.  We’ve given some space ...
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The Real George Washington

When did history get so complicated?  Not too long ago, “The father of his country” was a monumental figure deserving nothing but praise.  Now, depending ...
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Words and Pictures: a Talk with Doug TenNapel

Yesterday we reviewed two graphic novels by a rising star in the world of "comics" who also happens to be a Christian and a homeschooling ...
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Metaphysics, Graphics-Style

For some folks, graphic novels are actually a discipline to be learned—their eyes don’t know where to go first and they tend to jump from ...
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Looking for Love . . . in All the Weird Places

Since I first wrote about teen paranormal romance--the spark that became a blaze with the Twilight series and all its imitators--we’ve seen the entire Bella-Edward ...
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What is Virtuous Romance? A Discussion with Gina Dalfonzo and Rea Berg

What is Virtuous Romance? Tonight at dinner, my husband, two daughters and I had our first conversation about...boys.  They had curled up with daddy on ...
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Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln

I’ve heard that aside from William Shakespeare, more books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any other historical figure.  That makes it difficult to ...
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For Beginners: ALA Geisel Award Winners

The Theodore Seuss Geisel Medal (featuring a bas-relief of Dr. Seuss himself) is given by the American Library Association every year for outstanding books for ...
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