(F) Ages 15-18

Retro Reads: The Sword in the Stone

This week we begin a series of occasional posts called Retro Reads: those modern-day classics you may have missed in your teen years or before ...
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Portrait of the Fantacist as a Young Man: Carpet People

The Carpet People, written and illustrated by Terry Pratchett.  Clarion, 2013, 261 pages.  Age/interest level: 11-up Sir Terry Pratchett, grand old man of fantasy/science fiction, ...
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Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  Square Fish, 2012.  387 pages.   Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12 – 15 Recommended For: 6 (ages 15 – 18) and up Bottom ...
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Cyborg Cinderella

Cinder by Marissa Meyer.  Square Fish, 2012.  387 pages.  Age/interest level: 14-up.    Linh Cinder is a teenage mechanic, the best mechanic in New Beijing.  ...
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Be My Valentine: The State of Teen Romance

If you go back as far as I do, you remember the YA novels before there was any such category as “YA.”  These were mostly ...
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On the Court and in the Woods: Books for Teen Boys

Will in Scarlet, by Matthew Cody.  Knopf, 20134, 272 pages.  Age/interest level: 12-up. We’re introduced to William Shackley as a callow, nervous 14-year-old on his ...
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The Spiritual World of The Hobbit + Giveaway

(Giveaway is now closed) The ever-increasing popularity of Middle Earth has brought a profusion of books written about both J. R.R. Tolkien and his created ...
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Eyes of Lightning

I have issues . . . more than I can count.  I’m stubborn, prideful, a so-called religious fanatic, and a tomboy with freakish eyes.  My family and upbringing ...
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The Doctrines of Grace by Shane Lems

The Doctrines of Grace, Student Edition, by Shane Lems.  P&R Publishing, 2013, 143 pages, included appendices.  Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages ...
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C. S. Lewis at War: Radio Theatre for Teens and Adults

C. S. Lewis at War: The Dramatic Story Behind Mere Christianity (Radio Theatre) by C.S. Lewis and Paul McCusker.  Tyndale Entertainment, 2013.  Ages 12 and ...
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Rounding Up Some Good YA Reads

As Hayley noted earlier this week, the much-heralded final volume of Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy was a disappointment.  Much-heralded final volumes often disappoint, but what's ...
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Far as the Curse is Found: Two Novels Dealing with Death

This seems like an odd time of year to talk about death, but the joy of the Christmas season wouldn’t be joyful at all if ...
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*Pilgrim’s Progress: a Retelling by Gary Schmidt

Pilgrim’s Progress: a Retelling, by Gary Schmidt, illustrated by Barry Moser. Eerdmans, 1994, 96 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, Ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 12 ...
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Classics in Comics

We round out Picture-book month at Redeemed Reader with a look at some recent comic-book adaptations of enduring literary works--even though graphic novels, technically speaking, ...
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November 22, 1963

Fifty years ago a president was violently assassinated.  John F. Kennedy’s place in history is mostly emblematic: baby-boomers remember his ease and charm and clever ...
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Veterans Day: The Warrior’s Heart

The Warrior’s heart: Becoming a Man of Compassion and Courage, by Eric Greitens.  Houghton Mifflin, 2012, 263 pages.  Age/interest level: 15-up. You stand in freezing ...
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History in Graphic Format

As we conclude our History Month here at RedeemedReader, I hope you've enjoyed learning about historical fiction, church history, picture book biographies, general history, and ...
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Ghost Stories

Do you believe in ghosts?  I discount many of the ghost stories I hear, but can’t quit discount the whole phenomenon.  That is, there is ...
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Empire of Bones (Ashtown Burials, #3)

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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God in Dystopia: Captives and Aquifer

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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The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer

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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The Enemy Stone: An Interview with Robert Treskillard

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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Ender’s Game Read Along: A Galactic Giveaway and Contest!

***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

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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The Rithmatist, Bubble World, and A Corner of White: Science Fiction or Fantasy?

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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City of Bones: Movie Review

As the cinematic version of City of Bones hits theaters this week,
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Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

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

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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Rose Under Fire: Sequel/Companion to Code Name Verity

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Love in the Age of Roe

In our posts over the last two weeks, Emily and I have suggested that Roe v. Wade has changed America profoundly in the ways we ...
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Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield.  Crown and Covenant, 2012.  154 pgs. An Anomaly In the 1990's, Rosaria Butterfield was ...
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Identity and Revolution, part 1

“We will triumph with our tongues.  We own our lips—who is our master?” Psalm 12:4 We live in an age where reality can be easily ...
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Gabrielle Douglas: Grace, Gold, and (God’s) Glory

Into the Spotlight Sixteen-year-old Gabrielle Douglas's jaw-dropping performance in the women's all-around gymnastics competition, just edging out her closest Russian competitor to win gold, was ...
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On All Fronts: New Nonfiction of World War II

My sister, who serves at a docent at a prisoner-of-war museum in Texas, says that her most eager listeners are pre-teen and teenage boys.  When ...
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Grace and Law and Two Silver Candlesticks

I love musicals—always have, ever since my sister and I sang along to original cast recordings and movie soundtracks for Rogers & Hammerstein and Lerner ...
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16th Century Travels: Jepp and Will Sparrow

Jepp, Who Defied the Stars, by Katharine Marsh.  Hyperion, 2012, 369 pages plus author note.  Age/interest level: 12-up. Jepp’s diminutive size has always been a ...
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Other Lives: Reading and Watching Anna Karenina

The latest movie version of Anna Karenina is not for family viewing, because it deals with "adult" themes more graphically than it needs to.  The ...
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O Come, Emmanuel

Every year advent takes me by surprise--otherwise I would have posted this last week!   Family advent readers come down from the shelves this time of ...
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Dragon Tale: Seraphina

There’s a grand slam (plus one) among children’s book reviewers: Booklist, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Horn Book, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, ...
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Origin by Jessica Khoury

Origin, by Jessica Khoury.  Penguin, 2012, 393 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 16-up (please note: the recommended age is not ...
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Solomon Kane, Puritan Avenger

We're closing out Halloween week with something a little different.  About two years ago, I began hearing of a new movie called Solomon Kane, based ...
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Burdens of the Past

Seventy-three years ago, on September 1, German tanks rolled across the border of Poland and the conflict that soon became known as World War II ...
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Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl

Keeping the Castle: a Tale of Romance, Riches, and Real Estate, by Patrice Kindl.  Viking, 2012, 261 pages.  Age/interest level: 13-up. Althea Crawley, age 17, ...
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Crying Hard: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Another popular YA novel is soon to be a "Major Motion Picture," opening next weekend.  It's not likely to be a blockbuster like Twilight or ...
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Survival and Rescue

Rescue from certain destruction is the great theme of the Bible.  When it happens in real life, it should remind us of how blessed we ...
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The Invasion of Fairyland

Tuesday’s post about “Twisting Mother Goose” was headed down an alley I didn’t have room to address.  So today’s post springs off YA lit-blogger Georgia ...
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Running for My Life & Other Hopeful Sports Books

A Few Recommendations Last year Janie and I put together a post on football books for kids and young adults, Tim Tebow to Justin Tuck: ...
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Swash and Buckle: the Chronicles of Egg

Deadweather and Sunrise, by Geoff Rodkey.  Putnam, 2012, 296 pages.  Age/interest level: 10-up. Thirteen-year-old Egbert Masterson, or Egg as he will soon be called, is ...
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Insurgent: A Summer Review

Hayley Schoeppler is a 20 year old college student, the oldest in a family of seven kids, and an astute Christian book reviewer at her ...
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Catching Up with YA Fantasy

Readers of this blog may not believe me when I say I’m not a big fantasy fan.  Then why so many fantasy reviews?  Because that’s ...
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Hoping Against Hope: Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt

Doug Swietek finds a new life in his new town, despite his boorish father. Perfect for fans of The Wednesday Wars. Okay for Now, by ...
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Hard Science

God particle, Higgs boson—it's been news since Independence Day (no relation to said holiday) and most of us scratch our heads.  It’s too hot to ...
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The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin

The Glorious Fourth, as they used to call it, celebrates the birth of a nation whose independence was only declared with the signing of a ...
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Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming up on Friday, an interview with Andrew Klavan himself!  And we have a copy of Crazy Dangerous to give away!!  Read on ...
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Bad Trips

Summer is the traditional time for road trips, and road-trip novels traditionally roll out in the spring.  A title from this year and one from ...
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Graduation Gifts for Teens

We're fast approaching graduation day at many schools, so I thought it might be worth tossing out a few books to brighten your celebrations. 1.  ...
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The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

As Jesus takes us to the cross this week, I’d like to spend some time looking at recent and classic children’s literature that addresses the ...
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Kingstone Part 2: Interview and Babylon

By Redeemed Reader intern Jack Mertens Today I continue my series on Kingstone Comics, begun on Monday with reviews of two of Marvin Olasky's graphic ...
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Kingstone Part 1: 2048 and Echoes of Eden

Today's reviewer, Jack Mertens, is a 17 year old high school student living in Louisiana where he is, among other things, an avid reader and ...
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Real or Not Real? The Hunger Games Movie is Good For Teens….

***SPOILER ALERT: SOME PARTS OF THE END OF THE STORY REVEALED BELOW To read Janie's review of the book, see Hungry. Today, the much anticipated ...
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The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary Pearson

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson.  Holt, 2008, 265 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, 15-18 Recommended for: ages 15-18 and up Bottom ...
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Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Unwind by Neal Shusterman.  Simon & Shuster, 2007, 352 pages Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 15-18 Bottom Line: Unwind presents a ...
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Talking Over the Hunger Games, Part One

Since Susanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy (reviewed here) has sparked so much discussion in school cafeterias and dorm rooms (not to mention break rooms and ...
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Hungry

Suzanne Collins: The Hunger Games, Scholastic, 2008, 374 pages.  Catching Fire, Scholastic, 2009, 391 pages.  Mockingjay, 2010, 387 pages.  Age/interest level: 14-up. READER ADVISORY: This ...
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Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Between Shades of Gray, by Ruta Sepetys.  Penguin/Philomel, 2011, 338 pages. Reading Level: Young Adults, ages 12-15 Maturity Level: 6 (ages 15-18) and up  June ...
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Africa: A Literary Adventure and Podcast!

This month my local public library is offering a marionette show of African folktales starring Anansi the spider. It's a unique way to celebrate Black ...
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Pleasures and Distractions

The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction, by Alan Jacobs.  Oxford University Press, 2011, 150 pages.  Age/interest: adult. Heads-up: Watch for our interview ...
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My Dragon Tattoo: A Book and Movie Review

Last Wednesday, I sat down with a friend at the Regal Cinema nearby to watch "the feel bad movie of Christmas." For the uninitiated, that's ...
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POW! The Comic-Book Surge

  The December 21 opening of The Adventures of Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn, should focus attention not only on the boy from Belgium ...
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Recommendations for Teens

As reported by the L.A. Times only a week ago, “Young adult continues to be the literary world’s fastest-growing genre.”  There are a lot of ...
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Salem’s curse

Wicked Girls, by Stephanie Hemphill.  HarperCollins, 2010, 389 pages.  Young Adult Father of Lies, by Ann Turner.  HarperTeen, 2011, 326 pages.  Young Adult There are ...
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Hall of Heroes

Reformation Heroes, by Diana Kleyn with Joel R. Beeke.  Reformation Heritage Books, 2009, 250 pages.  Age/interest level: 11-up. October 31, 2017 (only six years from ...
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Autism: Fiction and Fact

Marcelo in the Real World, by Francisco X Stork. Scholastic, 2009, 312 pages. Age/interest level: 14-up. Dancing With Max, by Emily Colson. Zondervan, 2010, 200 ...
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Lord of Light

They had guessed before that this was an island: clambering among the pink rocks, with the sea on either side, and the crystal heights of ...
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The Meaning of Life

Where Things Come Back, by John Corey Whaley.  Atheneum, 2011, 240 pages.  Age-interest level: 16-up. UPDATE: Where Things Come Back has won a gold medal ...
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Homelanders Series by Andrew Klavan

Homelanders, by Andrew Klavan.  Published by Thomas Nelson in four parts: The Last Thing I Remember (2009), The Long Way Home (2010), The Truth of ...
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That Hideous Strength 3: Climax

Previous posts: Introduction, Part One: Setup, Part Two: Development. Climax?  Isn’t it a little early for that?  Most of us have the idea that the ...
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That Hideous Strength 2: Development

Previous Posts: Introduction Part One: Setup Almost all the main characters have been introduced and the potential conflicts are in place.  Now development: that phase ...
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That Hideous Strength 1: the Setup

Beginning our first-ever Readalong: here's the Introduction. The action takes place at three fictional locations: Edgetow, a university town similar to Cambridge, but smaller; St. ...
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That Hideous Strength: An Introduction

In the summer of 1945, George Orwell wrote a review for the Manchester Evening News, beginning, "On the whole, novels are better when there are ...
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