Book Reviews
Empire of Bones (Ashtown Burials, #3)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Empire of Bones (Ashtown Burials #3) by N. D. Wilson. Random House, 2013. 448 pages. Reading Level: Middle gradesRecommended For: age 10 and up. We've ...
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The Dogs of History
By Janie Cheaney |
Duke, by Kirby Larson. Scholastic, 2013, 229 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12 Boy loves dog; boy loses dog. That’s what ...
Read More Lara’s Gift by Annemarie O’Brien
By Janie Cheaney |
Lara’s Gift, by Annemarie O’Brien. Knopf, 2013, 193pages, including appendix Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12, Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Bottom ...
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Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 4: Conclusions
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
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Early America: Friendship and War
By Janie Cheaney |
Friends of Liberty, by Beatrice Gormley. Eermans, 2013, 184 pages. Age/interest level: 8-14. Sally Gifford, as the daughter of an honest craftsman in 18th-century Boston, ...
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How God Used a Thunderstorm by Joel R. Beeke and Diana Kleyn
By Megan Saben |
*How God Used a Thunderstorm and Other Devotional Stories by Joel R. Beeke and Diana Kleyn, illustrated by Jeff Anderson (Building on the Rock Series). ...
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Anselm: An Interview with Simonetta Carr
By emily |
Anselm of Canterbury (Christian Biographies for Young Readers) by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage Books, 2013. 64 pgs. Ages 8-up. Simonetta Carr recently published Anselm of ...
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Church History for Everybody
By Janie Cheaney |
This 12-volume set documents the church from its earliest days to 2001, with lavish illustration, original source material, and literate commentary. The Christians: Their First ...
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Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 3: The Science of the Story
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
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Sugar and P.S. Be Eleven: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's another dual review by Janie and Betsy today! We're teaming up to bring you reviews of two middle grade historical fiction novels during our ...
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*A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
By Betsy Farquhar |
*A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Knopf, 2013. 32 pages. Reading Level: ...
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Little Histories
By Janie Cheaney |
One thing we’ve lost, in our modern fragmented world, is a sense of the story of history. Between the rock of political correctness on one ...
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Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 2: Ender vs. Peter
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
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Three delightful picture books based on historical events
By Megan Saben |
Candace Fleming is blessed with a wonderful combination of skills as a writer. Since she enjoys both writing and research, as a result she writes fun ...
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Fun But Not Fantastic: Mr. Lemoncello and the Family Whipple
By Janie Cheaney |
The American tradition of the “tall tale,” which you may think died with Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill, is alive and well in a genre ...
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Our Favorite Science Book Picks (and a Printable List!)
By Betsy Farquhar |
We've thrown a lot of titles at you during our Science September for science-related informational texts. Because we know many of you, like us, love ...
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Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 1: Considering Sci-fi and Orson Scott Card
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
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God in Dystopia: Captives and Aquifer
By Janie Cheaney |
Two weeks ago Hayley, Joseph, and Abby discussed two inaugural titles from Blink, Zondervan’s new YA title. Today they’re back with two more. Both these ...
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Scientific Fiction or Fictional Science? Three Genre-Busting Reads
By Betsy Farquhar |
Janie and Betsy team up once again to bring you reviews of three recent scientific fiction works! Janie does the first and Betsy the second ...
Read More The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer
By Janie Cheaney |
The Reluctant Assassin (W.A.R.P., #1), by Eoin Colfer. Hyperion, 2013, 352 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Appropriate for: ages 15-up Bottom Line: ...
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More Favorite Science Books
By emily |
Welcome back to Science September at Redeemedreader! Last week, we heard from Janie on Science Biographies, as well as Betsy on some of her favorite ...
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Solving Mysteries with Science (and a disappointing collective biography)
By Megan Saben |
One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve With Science! by Eric Yoder and Natalie Yoder. Science Naturally, 2013. When I was growing up, ...
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The Enemy Stone: An Interview with Robert Treskillard
By Janie Cheaney |
Last Friday we had a fascinating discussion with our interns about some of the first titles of a brand new YA imprint from Zondervan. One ...
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The Secret Lives of Scientists
By Janie Cheaney |
On a Beam of Light: a Story of Albert Einstein, by Jennifer Berre, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky. Chronicle, 2013, 50 pages. Age/interest level: 6-9 Despite ...
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Science Picture Books: Authors and Illustrators of Note
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's Science September at RedeemedReader! The world of picture book nonfiction (or "information books, " as nonfiction is being called now) is exploding with very ...
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Ender’s Game Read Along: A Galactic Giveaway and Contest!
By emily |
***THE GIVEAWAY PART OF THIS POST IS OVER. *** ENDER’S GAME POSTS: Introduction, Week 1: Sci-fi and Orson Scott Card, Week 2: Ender vs Peter, ...
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Taking a Look at “Blink”–with Our Own YA Readers
By Janie Cheaney |
This fall, Zondervan Publishers is introducing a new imprint called “Blink.” According to Zondervan marketing v-p Chrisynethia Floyd, “They are for anyone, regardless of faith ...
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New Worlds, Spirit Animals, and Frog Warriors: New Middle-Grade Fantasy
By Janie Cheaney |
Betsy and Janie, the middle-grade readers, are joining forces today to tell you about three brand-new fantasy series for middle-graders. Betsy reviews the first two, ...
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Space Odyssey for Little Ones: An Interview with Kevin Luthardt
By emily |
THE BOOK REVIEW When Edgar Met Cecil. Peachtree Publishers, 2013. 32 pgs. Ages 4-8. Kevin Luthardt is an author-illustrator who has had a pretty big ...
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The Rithmatist, Bubble World, and A Corner of White: Science Fiction or Fantasy?
By Janie Cheaney |
As Emily informed us yesterday, September is science and science-fiction month, featuring our read-along of Orson Scott Card's classic novel, Ender's Game. To celebrate, we're ...
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*Little Britches by Ralph Moody
By Megan Saben |
*Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody. Bison Books, 1991. 260 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10, ages 10-12 and upRecommended ...
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Boy Overcoming
By Janie Cheaney |
Paperboy, by Vince Vawter. Delacorte, 2013m 224 pages. Age/interest level: 10-14 "I'm typing about the stabbing for a good reason. I can't talk." Life is ...
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Laboring and Resting: Books about Both!
By Betsy Farquhar |
In this digital world of ours, I can post this blog entry "on" Labor Day without having to do any work on Labor Day: I'm ...
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Podcast 34: A Kids’ Review of Amish Fiction
By emily |
Big Year for Lily, A (The Adventures of Lily Lapp) by Suzanne Woods Fisher and Mary Ann Kinsinger. Revell, 2013. 272 pgs. Ages 8-up. With ...
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Getting Rich Quick: Two Novels about Sudden Fortunes
By Janie Cheaney |
A Whole Lot of Lucky, by Danette Haworth. Walker Books, 2013, 288 pages. Age/interest level: 9-13 Hailee Richardson has plenty to complain about—her screechy old ...
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City of Bones: Movie Review
By Hayley Morell |
As the cinematic version of City of Bones hits theaters this week,
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Three Tea Picture Books
By Megan Saben |
Tea Rex, A Visitor for Bear, and The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig are lively variations on the traditional tea party. My ...
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Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
By Janie Cheaney |
There's a big movie release this week, based on a best-selling series of young-adult fantasy novels. Young-adult fantasy novels have proved enormously profitable for the ...
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Beowulf: Legend, Worldview, and Contemporary Narratives
By Betsy Farquhar |
When I used to teach high school British Literature back in the day, Beowulf was always our first big study. It's first chronologically, and it's ...
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How to Skim a Book: The Lost Medallion by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick
By emily |
To Skim or Not to Skim It's seven o'clock, and you remember you have a book review due in the morning. But alas, you haven't ...
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Kids at War
By Janie Cheaney |
If we were picking favorite periods of history, World War II would be near the top of the list. Though it's fast fading from living ...
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History Audiobooks: Middle Ages for Kids
By emily |
***CONTEST CLOSED. WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*** Like most families, we're gearing up for school at our house. And like many other classical schoolers, we're using ...
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Sea of Monsters: Movie Review
By The Redeemed Shall Read |
Today, we welcome our former intern and current Executive Assistant, Hayley Schoeppler, back to the site. She's is the one who covered Percy Jackson this ...
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Rose Under Fire: Sequel/Companion to Code Name Verity
By Betsy Farquhar |
Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein. Disney, 2013. Age: 14 and up. Last year, I read one of the best books I've ever read: Code ...
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Creative Math
By Janie Cheaney |
When I was in elementary school it was called “arithmetic,” and one of the most terrifying aspects of that class was timed drills—the teacher would ...
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Lemonade and Lit, Week 7: Klavan Discussion
By emily |
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
By emily |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By emily |
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, ...
Read More *The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins
By Janie Cheaney |
*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
By Janie Cheaney |
*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!
By Hayley Morell |
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
By Hayley Morell |
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
By emily |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Megan Saben |
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)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
“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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
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!
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By emily |
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
By emily |
***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
By emily |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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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We Are the Ship by Kadir Nelson
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Megan Saben |
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”?
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By emily |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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…
By Megan Saben |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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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Sammy and His Shepherd by Susan Hunt and Cory Godbey
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Cassie and Caleb Discover God’s Wonderful Design by Susan Hunt and Richie Hunt
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
Read More Poetry Contest Update!
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By emily |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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 ...
Read More Bible Review: NIV Rock Solid Faith Study Bible for Teens
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Megan Saben |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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 ...
Read More Destiny, Rewritten by Kathryn Fitzmaurice
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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
By Megan Saben |
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
By Janie Cheaney |
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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