(E) Ages 12-15

Code of Silence and Back Before Dark by Tim Shoemaker

A heart-pounding mystery series, with hidden twists and turns at every corner and a powerful message. Note: this is a guest review. See below for ...
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Impossible Escape by Steve Sheinkin

Impossible Escape tells the story of one determined teenager who survived Auschwitz and became one of the first to reveal details of the Holocaust. Impossible ...
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The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish

The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall series imagines the mysterious education of a classic mystery writer. The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall by Ali Standish. ...
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*The Carver and the Queen by Emma Fox

An adventurous fairy tale set in Imperial Russia, perfect for teens who enjoy books like The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis. *The Carver and ...
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What came from the stars

What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt

What Came From the Stars is mysterious, offering hope for those grieving and illuminating the strange power of art. What Came From the Stars by ...
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Dust by Dusti Bowling

Dust is the story of an asthma sufferer challenged to “use her breath” to fight a wrong. Dust by Dusti Bowling. Little, Brown, 2023, 328 ...
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Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

In the tradition of Susan Cooper, a lyrical, dark fantasy for mature middle grade readers. Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef. Simon & Schuster Books ...
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SmART: Use Your Eyes to Boost Your Brain by Amy E. Herman

SmART, a young-reader version of the best-seller Visual Intelligence, employs art as a way of teaching observation and interpretation. SmART: Use Your Eyes to Boost ...
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authority vs anarchy book list

Authority vs. Anarchy: A Book List for Teens

Authority vs. Anarchy: Opposites? Two sides of the same coin? Romans 13 reminds us to obey our governing (civic) authorities. Exodus 20 and Ephesians 6 ...
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The Switch by Roland Smith

A 13-year-old boy must help his large family survive an ElectroMagnetic Pulse in The Switch. The Switch by Roland Smith. Scholastic, 2022, 303 pages. Reading ...
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ancient literature

Reading Ancient Literature with High School Students

Some of us love ancient literature, especially the great Homeric epics. Others shudder at the thought. I'm in the former camp, but I haven't always ...
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Stuff Kids Should Know by Clark and Bryant

Stuff Kids Should Know draws from a popular podcast to detail the fascinating histories behind some everyday realities. Stuff Kids Should Know: The Mind-Blowing Histories ...
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Ultraviolet by R. J. Anderson

A first-person psychological thriller inside one young woman's remarkable consciousness. Ultraviolet, by R. J. Anderson. Carolrhoda Lab, 2011, 303 pages.  Reading Level:  Young Adults, Ages 14-upRecommended ...
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Starboard by Nicola Skinner

Starboard takes a young reality-TV star on an involuntary voyage of self-discovery. Starboard by Nicola Skinner. Harper 2023 (US edition), 398 pages. Reading Level: Middle ...
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The Most of P. G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse

An excellent introduction to P. G. Wodehouse via his short stories and one delightful novella. The Most of P.G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse, Touchstone, 2000.  ...
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How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd

In How to Stay Invisible, an abandoned boy attempts to make it on his own and discovers he needs other people. How to Stay Invisible ...
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Ginny Off the Map by Caroline Hickey

In Ginny off the Map, a geography-obsessed sixth-grader learns to meet people where they are and find “true north” in her own family. Ginny Off ...
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In the Tunnel by Julie Lee

In the Tunnel takes readers into the savagery and family upheaval of the Korean War . In the Tunnel by Julie Lee. Holiday House, 2023, ...
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Race against Death by Deborah Hopkinson

Race against Death surveys the fall of the Philippines during WWII, the fate of American prisoners left there, and the bold plan to rescue them ...
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Comics: Whys, Hows, and Wherefores

(Originally published at Redeemed Reader on November 27, 2013) Most kids enjoy comics or their upscale cousins, graphic novels.  Of those who enjoy them, many ...
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Alternative Physics: Larklight

(Originally posted at Redeemed Reader on July 27, 2013) The Larklight Trilogy, by Philip Reeve, decorated throughout by David Wyatt: Larklight (2006), Starcross (2007), Mothstorm ...
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Talking About Money

(Originally published at Redeemed Reader on June 1, 2012) We think of summertime as beach days, catch-up-on-our-reading days, vacation days, camp days (more on that ...
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High School World Literature: A Thematic Approach

High School World Literature: What to Cut? "World literature" can mean literally any book ever written. The hard part of planning a world literature class ...
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When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhà Lai

When Clouds Touch Us follows up the award-winning Inside Out and Back Again with the further adventures of a Vietnamese refugee family in the 1970s. ...
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Buffalo Flats by Martine Leavitt

Buffalo Flats takes readers to the Northwest Territory of Canada, for an unforgettable story of spiritual growth and romance. Buffalo Flats by Martine Leavitt. Margaret ...
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*Nearer My Freedom by Monica Edinger and Lesley Younge

Nearer My Freedom uses the actual text of an 18th-century memoir to create a poetic account of an extraordinary life story. *Nearer My Freedom: The ...
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*Arthur, the Always King by Kevin Crossley-Holland

The lavishly-illustrated Arthur the Always King communicates the doomed majesty of the Arthurian legend. *Arthur, the Always King by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Chris Riddell. ...
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The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

Noting one important consideration, The Firefly Summer is an enjoyable light read with a theme of family solidarity. The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson. Simon ...
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Big Tree by Brian Selznick

Big Tree, by best-selling author-illustrator Brian Selznick, attempts to capture the wonder of creation without a Creator. Big Tree by Brian Selznick. Scholastic, 2023, 525 ...
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*The Labors of Hercles Beal by Gary Schmidt

The title character of The Labors of Hercules Beal works through his grief by duplicating, in contemporary terms, the 12 "labors" of his mythical namesake. ...
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Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Sunshine is the true story of a young man finding joy amid sorrow at a summer camp for seriously-ill children. Sunshine: How One Camp Taught ...
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Two Books about Sexuality for Kids and Teens

Books about sexuality for kids and teens are not new, but these days, it's getting harder to separate the wheat from the chaff. Well-meaning titles ...
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Abandon Ship by Michael J. Tougias

Abandon Ship! tells the little-known story of a World War II sea disaster with a surprising twist. Abandon Ship! The True World War II Story ...
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Button Pusher by Tyler Page

Button Pusher is the graphic-novel memoir of a boy who struggled with ADHD before learning to manage it. Button Pusher by Tyler Page. First Second, ...
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The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri: A Book Discussion

The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri: Betsy and Janie Discuss Betsy: Janie, you and I both (eagerly) received advance ...
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Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen

In Iceberg, a 12-year-old stowaway experiences history's worst maritime disaster. Iceberg by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic, 2023, 339 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 ...
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School Trip by Jerry Craft

School Trip, a companion novel to Newbery-winning New Kid, launches the Riverdale Academy students on a tour of Paris. School Trip by Jerry Craft. Quill ...
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A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat

In A First Time for Everything, Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat looks back on a life-changing tour of Europe as a 13-year-old. A First Time for ...
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Not an Easy Win by Chrystal D. Giles

Not an Easy Win is the encouraging story of a displaced young man finding purpose and life lessons in the game of chess. Not an ...
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Noticing by Kobi Yomada

Noticing, a picture book for tweens and older, beautifully illustrates the point that “One of the best things you can be is interested.” Noticing by ...
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Honey and Me by Meira Drazin

Honey and Me explores the fun and challenge of middle-grade friendship in the context of the Orthodox Jewish community. Honey and Me by Meira Drazin. ...
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*Dragonfly Eyes by Cao Wenxuan

Dragonfly Eyes is a slowly-unfolding, beautiful picture of family love and loyalty during the stressful days of China’s Cultural Revolution. *Dragonfly Eyes by Cao Wenxuan, ...
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Bright Island by Mabel Robinson (Retro Reads)

In this "Retro Reads" book, homeschooled Thankful Curtis must leave her beloved island to brave the mainland and boarding school. Bright Island by Mabel Robinson. ...
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Princess of the Wild Sea by Megan Frazer Blakemore

A twist on Sleeping Beauty, Princess of the Wild Sea explores the concept of heroism and the danger and reward of risk-taking. Princess of the ...
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Victory, Stand! by Tommie Smith and Derrick Barnes

Victory, Stand!, this year's ALA YA nonfiction award winner, tells the story of the notorious "Olympic fist" from a point of view that makes it ...
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15 Books for 15-Year-Old Boys: A Book List

15-year-old boys: learning to drive. Wrestling with heavy high school work (10th grade is usually more intense than 9th, in terms of work load). Taking ...
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2023 Newbery Winner: Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

Freewater, this year's Newbery Medal winner, is as much an adventure tale as little-known history. Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson. Little, Brown (James Patterson Presents), 2022, ...
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The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

The Lost Year uses multiple voices to narrate a sad chapter of history: Stalin’s deliberate starving of Ukraine. The Lost Year: A Survival Story of ...
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A Place for Peter by Elizabeth Yates

A Place for Peter is a good choice for boys who are avid readers and enjoy character-driven, literary coming-of-age stories, or families who are looking ...
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The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum

“Hoodie Rosen” introduces teen readers to the Orthodox Jewish world and the reality of antisemitism. The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum. ...
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Caldecott Honor Roundup: Ain’t Burned All the Bright, Berry Song, Choosing Brave, and Knight Owl

This year's Caldecott honor books explore a range of moods from wistful to whimsical. Ain’t Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds, illustrated by Jason ...
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trafficking books for teens

Trafficking Books for Teens: A Round-Up

I rarely visit a public restroom these days without seeing a notice for women who are in troubling situations: the text usually reads, "Need Help? ...
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The British Are Coming (Young Reader Ed.) by Rick Atkinson

The British Are Coming recounts the first 4 years of the American Revolution in an engaging style, capturing substance and detail. The British Are Coming ...
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Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait by Leonard S. Marcus

Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait is an unusual and touching look at our nation's 16th president through the then-new medium of photography. Mr. Lincoln ...
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romantic reads for teens

Romantic Reads for Teens: A Book List for Girls and Guys

Enjoy this unapologetic list of romantic reads for teens: great love stories and high romance without LGBTQ elements. For the genre-junkies out there, it's worth ...
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Windswept by Margi Preus

Windswept is a lovely fantasy/fairy tale of children learning to take on the responsibility of stewardship through story, service, and sacrifice. Windswept by Margi Preus. ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz #5: I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

I Must Betray You is one of those novels that straddles the line between Newbery age ranges and Printz age ranges. Will it get some ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz Roundup #2: Frizzy, How to Build a Human, and Attack of the Black Rectangles

The American Library Association will announce the winners of its very influential Youth Media Awards, headed by the Newbery and Caldecott. Since we can't help ...
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Newbery Roundup #1: Freestyle, Swim Team, and Maizy Chen’s Last Chance

Three novels for middle-grades that may be under consideration for this year's top prize Freestyle by Gale Galligan. Graphix; (Scholastic), 2022, 322 pages. (Ages 10-14) ...
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The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson

In The Lucky Ones, an impoverished family in the rural south takes a big step up during the Civil Rights struggles of the 1960s. The ...
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wintry stories

Wintry Stories: A Book List for Middle Grades and Teens

Whether you live in a place with snow or not, January is the perfect month for a cozy snow story (or three). Look for some ...
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The Real Dada Mother Goose by Jon Scieszka

In The Real Dada Mother Goose, popular humorist Jon Scieszka subjects familiar nursery rhymes to every possible variation. The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury ...
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Out of Range by Heidi Lang

Out of Range puts three warring sisters into a life-or-death situation that will destroy their bond—and perhaps their lives—or restore it. Out of Range by ...
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Belittled Women by Amanda Sellet

Belittled Woman features a contemporary Meg, Jo, and Amy reluctantly participating in their mother’s pet project: a tourist attraction reenacting scenes from a certain 19th-century ...
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Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb

In Looking for True, A lonely boy and a frustrated girl find common cause in rescuing a dog from its neglectful owner. Looking for True ...
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productivity for teens

Productivity for Teens: A Round-Up

Do your teens make New Year's resolutions or goals? Perhaps you wish they would? If any of those goals relate to being more productive or ...
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*Berliners by Vesper Stamper

Berliners is the story of a family scarred by war, politics, and false ideology in postwar Germany. *Berliners by Vesper Stamper. Knopf, 2022, 413 pages. ...
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Agent Most Wanted by Sonia Purnell

Virginia Hall, one of history’s most effective spies, is the subject of this engrossing biography. Agent Most Wanted: The Never-before-Told Story of the Most Dangerous ...
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Unbreakable by Rebecca Barone

Unbreakable makes the complicated story of unlocking the Enigma code accessible for young readers. Unbreakable: The Spies Who Cracked the Nazis' Secret Code by Rebecca ...
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*Two Old Women by Velma Wallis

Two Old Women, a legend from Alaska, reminds us to persevere and to seek the good of those around us. *Two Old Women: An Alaska ...
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Peace Is a Chain Reaction by Tanya Lee Stone

Peace Is a Chain Reaction tells a little-known story of World War II and how former enemies of opposite sides of an ocean came together ...
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*The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson

In a debut novel reminiscent of Maud Hart Lovelace and Laura Ingalls Wilder, a young girl discovers new friends, family, and hope. *The Star that ...
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The Rat Queen by Pete Hautman

Though not for every reader, The Rat Queen effectively exposes the harm caused to individual souls by hiding or excusing their own sins. The Rat ...
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A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga

A Rover's Story employs an unusual protagonist to celebrate science, space exploration, and humanity. A Rover’s Story by Jasmine Warga. Balzer+Bray, 2022, 294 pages. Reading ...
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Home for Christmas, edited by Miriam LeBlanc

Home for Christmas is a lovely, literary collection of stories, old and new, that highlight the "spirit" of Christmas. Home for Christmas: Stories for Young ...
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The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

The Door of No Return uses beautifully modulated verse to communicate the humanity of the Ashanti people and the horrors of the African slave trade. ...
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family advent devotionals

Family Advent Devotional List

Do you have a favorite family Advent tradition? Perhaps your family does a Jesse Tree together. Or maybe you have an Advent wreath on your ...
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Black Bird, Blue Road by Sofiya Pasternack

Black Bird, Blue Road is set in a neglected period of world history and explores the subject of death through a lens of Jewish mythology. ...
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The Holy Ghost by John Hendrix

In The Holy Ghost, author/illustrator John Hendrix freely exercises his imaginative powers while contemplating the third Person of the Trinity. The Holy Ghost: A Spirited ...
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Wildoak by C. C. Harrington

Wildoak is a gentle story about a girl finding a voice and a cause in the natural world. Wildoak by C. C. Harrigan. Scholastic, 2022, ...
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Truth and Story

(Note: Betsy and I are indebted to Ethan Pettit, librarian and Children's Literature professor from Covenant College, who enlightened us so much in seeing Christ ...
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*Church History by Simonetta Carr

Simonetta Carr’s Church History is a must-have for Christian families, good for years of reference and encouragement. *Church History by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage, 265 ...
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*The Red Palace by June Hur

Eighteenth century Korea comes to life in The Red Palace, a gripping—and gritty—historical mystery for teens. *The Red Palace by June Hur. Feiwel and Friends, ...
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Our Hymns, Our Heritage by David and Barbara Leeman

The Leeman’s excellent student hymnal has been republished by Moody Press, with additional songs and supplements. *Our Hymns, Our Heritage: A Student Guide to Songs ...
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The Wonderland Trials by Sara Ella

Alice wants to be a Wonder and compete in the Wonderland Trials, but she's just an ordinary Normal girl in this inventive take on Alice ...
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American Shoes by Rosemarie Lengsfeld Turke

American Shoes is the memoir of a young girl trapped in Nazi Germany with her family as the world is convulsed with war. American Shoes: ...
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*Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. Smith and J. C. Smith

Jack Zulu finds adventure where he least expects it in this new middle grades fantasy series opener from S. D. Smith. Jack Zulu and the ...
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Fantasy Books for Teen Girls: Keeper of the Lost Cities Read-Alikes

We have several fantasy book lists here on Redeemed Reader, but this list is especially for those who enjoy books like Keeper of the Lost ...
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Keeper of the Lost Cities: Is it Safe? Is it Good?

Keeper of the Lost Cities is a wildly popular series for teens; what do we think about it? Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon ...
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Yonder by Ali Standish

Yonder is a thoughtful and moving historical novel about the nature of heroism. Yonder by Ali Standish. Harper, 2022, 348 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ...
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Labor Day: Books about Work

Readers: this is an adaptation of one of the first posts on Redeemed Reader, way back in 2011 (written by Emily Whitten, the "I" in ...
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Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Lines of Courage follows five young protagonists through the epoch-making carnage of World War I. Lines of Courage by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic Press, 2022, ...
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Brand New Kid by David Almond

Brand New Boy explores the "humanity" of manufactured humans through the eyes of curious middle-school students. Brand New Boy by David Almond, with pictures by ...
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Maze Runner Series: a Christian Response

High octane, fast-paced adventure books for teens, the Maze Runner books raise interesting questions if readers can stop long enough to ponder. The Maze Runner ...
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Quick Summer Reads: Treasure Tracks, High Score, and Wretched Waterpark

Three entertaining novels for the adventure-seeker, the heist-lover, and the doom-aficionado. Treasure Tracks by S. A. Rodriguez. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2022, 214 pages. Reading Level: ...
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lord of the flies a christian response

Lord of the Flies: A Christian Response

When British boys are stranded alone on an island, can they govern themselves? Reading Level: Teens, ages 12 and up Recommended For: Teens, ages 15 ...
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*Marshmallow Clouds by Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek

In Marshmallow Clouds, two poets look at the world, both the sublime and the mundane, through expressive wordplay. *Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among ...
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The Islanders: Search for Treasure by Mary Alice Monroe

The Islanders Series features three friends spending enlightening and adventure-filled summers on an island off the coast of South Carolina. The Islanders: Search for Treasure ...
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High School British Literature: A Lively Approach

High School British Literature: Dull and Difficult? When I arrived at college, I was absolutely, 100% convinced that British lit was my jam. But it's ...
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Graphic-Novel History: History Comics and Who HQ

Telling history and science through pictures is an obvious way to teach, but watch out when a series attempts to do more than communicate the ...
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