Reflections

Raising Writers in Four Simple Steps

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 7, 2021

Or, the Wordsmith philosophy of teaching composition Notice I said “simple,” not “easy.” Good writing is based on just a handful of sound principles—that makes ...

Christian sexuality, broken Greek statue

*Reading and Talking about Sexuality

By Hayley Morell | Jul 2, 2021

*Note, this post engages with sexuality and includes conversation and books that are suitable for teens and adults. I was hiking in Europe. A French ...

Ordinary Homeschooling: Reflections on just serving dinner

By Megan Saben | Jul 1, 2021

Resources we actually used Last summer in a post titled Just Serve Dinner, I shared some of the best resources we have enjoyed over the ...

The Great Gatsby in Graphic Novel Form

By Betsy Farquhar | May 26, 2021

Hayley and Betsy discuss the excellent, new graphic novel adaptation of The Great Gatsby adapted by K. Woodman-Maynard (Candlewick, 2021). First Impressions of The Great ...

Learning to Find Good Books

By Hayley Morell | May 4, 2021

How do we find good books? We get this question often at Redeemed Reader. Many of you are on the hunt for books: to satisfy a voracious ...

The Golden Age Detective Stories

By Hayley Morell | Apr 7, 2021

This is an abridged version of the article Reading the Golden Age that originally appeared in our Fall 2020 Quarterly. Who murdered ____? Is it ...

What Is “Body Positivity”?

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 6, 2021

"Body Positivity," as a whole, tries to correct a false narrative by substituting an unreal narrative. About 15 years ago, a disturbing trend was popping ...

The 2021 ALA Youth Media Awards–How Did We Do?

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 25, 2021

After an hour of listening and scribbling madly as announcements were read, I can now pass on what we learned from this year's ALA Youth ...

2021 Newbery Buzz #2: Chirp and The List of Things That Will Not Change

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 8, 2021

We're continuing our annual "Newbery Buzz" series today with round #2 for 2021. (We discussed King and the Dragonflies earlier this month.) As a reminder, ...

Read the Bible in 2021

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 31, 2020

As we head into 2021 after a tempestuous 2020, one thing remains certain: The Word of the Lord stands forever (Isaiah 40:8). Reading God's Word ...

2020 … In (the) Books

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 22, 2020

It's always interesting to look back over the year and reflect. 2020 was an especially eventful year, and we thought it might be fun to ...

Meet the Team: Hayley at Christmas

By Hayley Morell | Dec 21, 2020

As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, squeaking in for very last minute Christmas ideas, here ...

Meet the Team: Megan at Christmas

By Hayley Morell | Dec 18, 2020

As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, just in time for last minute Christmas ideas, here ...

Meet the Team: Betsy at Christmas

By Hayley Morell | Dec 17, 2020

As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, just in time for last minute Christmas ideas, here ...

Meet the Team: Janie at Christmas

By Hayley Morell | Dec 16, 2020

As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, just in time for last minute Christmas ideas, here ...

Thank You, C. S. Lewis

By Hayley Morell | Oct 16, 2020

This morning, doing devotions, I was reflecting on the resurrection. The phrase Deeper magic, before the dawn of time drifted unbidden into my reflections. I ...

The Golden Key and the Christian Imagination

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 23, 2020

Meeting George MacDonald I first met George MacDonald through the pages of his poetry and then, later, in his novels (the versions edited by Michael ...

Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson: A Discussion

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 10, 2020

Sometimes, we just have to "discuss" a book instead of merely write a review of it. Come eavesdrop as Betsy and Megan discuss Adorning the ...

The Fellowship: A Discussion

By Hayley Morell | Sep 10, 2020

Reading about the Inklings, Hayley and Megan discuss The Fellowship, an excellent book for Tolkien and Lewis enthusiasts. The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the ...

Finding Truth for Toddlers: Why Good Stories Matter

By Hayley Morell | Aug 18, 2020

During the months of lockdown, I babysat for a toddler with a growing vocabulary and a love for books. Monday through Friday, I would arrive ...

Not All Stories Are Created Equal

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 14, 2020

The "Power of Story" is an article of faith among authors, librarians, and other bookish people. But beware its limitations. The “power of story” consistent ...

God Will Provide … Yes, Even the Books

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 27, 2020

My friends, have you been swapping books? Last week, I got to visit three young friends of mine (and their mother). I traded wildflowers from ...

Ordinary Homeschooling: Just serve dinner.

By Megan Saben | Jul 22, 2020

This is a dangerous post. If you’re like me, you’ll see the resources that our family has chosen and think “Ooh, THAT’s what I need ...

Read Aloud (or Audiobook) Activities for Big Kids

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 27, 2020

Missing Read Aloud Time During COVID-19 Quarantine? I don't know about you, but our audiobook consumption has dropped this year. In the pre-COVID-19 era, we ...

Dear Class of 2020

By Janie Cheaney | May 22, 2020

Whatever your plans were for this spring, they’ve probably been messed up in a big way. Maybe your plans for the summer, too. Homeschoolers don’t ...

When Is It Okay to Mess with the Classics?

By Janie Cheaney | May 12, 2020

An upcoming retelling of Jane Eyre seems, at the very least, ill-advised. But why? Just because of our prejudices? Four or five years ago, I ...

I am NOT a Reader

By Megan Saben | May 4, 2020

I am not a reader. I am not a writer, despite childhood ambition. I am not a knitter, though I used to claim that identity. ...

Stress Reading is a Thing (for Kids, too)

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 17, 2020

Too Tired to Read? You've likely heard of "stress baking." Have you thought about "stress reading"? Essentially, it's reading differently because you're stressed. Some will ...

Epic Poetry: Learning to Read–and Enjoy–It in 5 Steps

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 13, 2020

Epic Poetry in School Do you remember reading (or being assigned to read) one of the following in school? The IliadThe OdysseyThe AeneidBeowulf Your teacher ...

A Family Easter

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 3, 2020

What were you doing last February? Possibly, after Valentine’s Day passed and stores cleared their shelves for St. Patrick’s, you were seeing some Easter chicks ...

A Literary Hospital Mission Field

By Megan Saben | Mar 19, 2020

A month ago my mother was taken to the hospital with a serious infection and blood poisoning. The former threatened a sobering 80% mortality rate; ...

Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes: a Discussion

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 14, 2020

Every now and then we read a book that seems to warrant more than a standard review—even a starred one. That was Janie and Betsy’s ...

Books We Loved

By Hayley Morell | Feb 15, 2020

Ever wondered what it's like to listen in on our conversations? Here's a chance! Hayley, Janie, and Betsy talk about some of their favorite books ...

Those Literary Couples We Loved

By Hayley Morell | Feb 14, 2020

Darcy and Elizabeth Lord Peter and Harriet Katniss and Peeta . . . or was it Gale? I know, I know! NOT The Hunger Games. ...

Front Row Seat at the ALA Youth Media Awards

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 27, 2020

No, none of us were actually in the room in Philadelphia where the awards were announced. But anyone can get a front-row seat through the ...

Back Porch Book Chat: Tim Challies (Blogger, Author, Book Reviewer)

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 20, 2020

Back Porch Book Chat: A casual, virtual conversation about books. Join us as we chat with book lovers like ourselves about a topic we all ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 14, 2020

Every January, we love to discuss the merits (or demerits) of books we’ve seen getting “Newbery buzz” in the broader children’s literature world. The actual ...

2020 Newbery Buzz #2: New Kid and Guts

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 13, 2020

Every January, we love to discuss the merits (or demerits) of books we’ve seen getting “Newbery buzz” in the broader children’s literature world. The actual ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 7, 2020

2019 in Review: Looking Back Do you look back over your previous year and reflect? It's a worthwhile exercise, and it's also fun. Sometimes, we ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 1, 2020

We are participants in the Amazon LLC affiliate program; purchases you make through affiliate links like the ones below earn us a commission. Read more ...

The Enduring Appeal of Little Women

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 21, 2019

With the eighth major film adaptation opening on Christmas Day, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on this classic. I read it at the ...

To Speak of What’s Good: Positive Developments in Children’s Publishing

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 27, 2019

Children's publishing has shown some disturbing trends recently, but there's also much to be thankful for. Recently I (Janie) had the honor of visiting with ...

Thanksgiving Comes Before Christmas

By Betsy Farquhar | Nov 4, 2019

If you've been to a store anytime in the past week, you likely noticed the same seasonal schizophrenia I did: a few aisles of Halloween-related ...

Is Dracula Worth Reading?

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 30, 2019

I am not a vampire fan. I am not a fan of weird Halloween decorations. It's downright creepy: ghouls, spider webs, zombie costumes, and, yes, ...

Voyages of Discovery, or, How NOT to “Teach Reading”

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 18, 2019

Last Sunday marked the 527th anniversary of the day Christopher Columbus first laid eyes, all unknowingly, on "The New World." That discovery radically changed world ...

How to Really Celebrate Reformation Day

By Megan Saben | Oct 17, 2019

Inventing a Holiday My earliest memory of Halloween was enjoying homemade doughnuts between answering the doorbell and distributing candy to trick-or-treaters. I had no doubt ...

We Met Dragons: A Celebration of Children’s Literature

By Hayley Morell | Oct 10, 2019

Last week, in our newsletter, we asked our readers what books they thought of when they saw this poem by Jack Prelutsky. Photo from Division ...

Laid-Back Language Arts

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 7, 2019

Do you remember your middle and high school English classes? Did you diagram sentences? Fill in endless worksheets with "S" for sentence or "F" for ...

So Your Kid is Reading Harry Potter…. A Christian Family’s Response

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 15, 2019

Please note: this is a personal account of one family's actual experience, NOT a Redeemed Reader staff-wide recommendation that you read Harry Potter. This post is ...

What Makes a “Strong Girl Character”? Thoughts and a Podcast

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 20, 2019

Does rejecting gender stereotypes mean there are no meaningful distinctions between strong girls and strong boys? Not so long ago, librarians and publishers were concerned ...

Reading Robin McKinley

By Hayley Morell | Jun 1, 2019

"I'm reading a book that's a little slow." I told a friend. "Why not stop reading it?" It was a fair question, but it hadn't ...

Are Graphic Novels “Literature”?

By Janie Cheaney | May 24, 2019

When I was a kid, back in the day, “comic books” did not have a great reputation. In fact, in 1949 a book called Seduction ...

The Pilgrim’s Progress: A Short History

By Betsy Farquhar | May 6, 2019

Have you seen the newest movie version of The Pilgrim's Progress? Did you know there are other movie versions? Have you read the original book? ...

The Race That Knows Joseph

By Hayley Morell | Apr 16, 2019

a scene near the home in which Hayley is tutoring children in France The Race that Knows Joseph -Or, Meeting Kindred Spirits Abroad and Other ...

Reading Challenge Check-In (Spring): How Are You Doing?

By Betsy Farquhar | Apr 3, 2019

Did you take part in the Redeemed Reader Reading Challenge this year? (It's never too late to start! Get a copy of the Redeemed Reader ...

Kindred Retreat 2019 and a Fortitude Booklist

By Megan Saben | Mar 20, 2019

Megan was refreshed after a day of listening to three wise women at a one-day retreat...and she brought home another booklist. Note the fairy tale ...

Unburying the Dream

By Megan Saben | Mar 6, 2019

How do you practice creativity, having been made in the image of God? What talents do you have in your hand? I have aspired to ...

Literaritea: Classics and new favorites

By Megan Saben | Feb 27, 2019

Literaritea is a fresh series in which Megan offers a taste of her experiences reading picture books and poetry aloud to her five boys, ages 2-12. Ideally we have teatime with our literature, but not always. These are the books that resonate with all of us and if I don't own these titles yet, I ...

Meet the Team: Megan

By Hayley Morell | Feb 23, 2019

We’re taking some time and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at the Redeemed Reader team. Today, Hayley interviews our Associate Editor and Staff Writer, Megan ...

Pride and Prejudice: The Original and the Others

By Hayley Morell | Feb 14, 2019

It's Valentine's Day. So, of course, we're going to talk about Jane Austen! Nothing can compare to the original, but Hayley and Betsy have been ...

Meet the Team: Betsy

By Hayley Morell | Feb 2, 2019

As we head into 2019, we're going to take some time and give you a behind-the-scenes look at the Redeemed Reader team. So, with Hayley ...

Jason Reynolds’s Track Series: A Winner for Middle Grades

By Betsy Farquhar | Feb 1, 2019

Jason Reynolds is an author we've kept an eye on ever since his debut in 2015 with When I Was the Greatest. That novel, and ...

The Susan Pevensie Problem

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 31, 2019

A new teen fantasy novel draws inspiration from Susan Pevensie's rejection of Narnia to spin a similar tale. In the almost 70 years since C. ...

2019 ALA Youth Media Awards: the Redeemed Reader Team Reacts

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 28, 2019

This morning, the American Library Association (ALA) announced its Youth Media Awards. The ALA also welcomed awards announcements for titles awarded by the Asian/Pacific American ...

Prognosticating the Newberys, 2019 Edition

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 25, 2019

updated 1/28 with actual results/how we did. It's the time of year when librarians and other kidlit nerds like ourselves get antsy. The ALA will announce this year's Youth Media Awards ...

2019 Newbery Buzz #7: The Girl Who Drew Butterflies by Joyce Sidman

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 23, 2019

The Girl Who Drew Butterflies is a truly beautiful work of art, isn’t it, Megan? For readers who haven’t seen this gem yet, the book chronicles ...

Momlife: A Guest Post about Reading as a Mom

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 31, 2018

We welcome Bridgette Boudreaux today as she shares about her reading life as a mom. Welcome, Bridgette! To start is great, to finish is divine ...

Reading Aloud to Tweens and Teens: A Guest Post about Kate Seredy’s books

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 28, 2018

Dawn Garrett joins us today to discuss reading Kate Seredy's books aloud to her tweens and teens. For more about Dawn, see her bio below ...

The 2018 Reading Challenge: Interview with a Teen

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 26, 2018

I (Betsy) interviewed my teen daughter about her experience with the 2018 Reading Challenge. She's a 13-year-old voracious reader who has clear genre preferences, but ...

The Books Worth a Library Fine

By Hayley Morell | Dec 20, 2018

This post really happened. It was written at the library with a stack of books and without coffee. It has been left close to its ...

Christmas Book Flood (or, Betsy’s Family’s Christmas Eve Book Extravaganza)

By Betsy Farquhar | Dec 17, 2018

Traditions Traditions are marvelous things, aren't they? The best traditions anchor our celebrations, our family and church life, and even our culture's collective experience. Sometimes, ...

The Year in Books – RR Staff Reflections

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 12, 2018

Are you the kind of person who asks, "What have you been reading lately?" Betsy, Megan, Janie, and Hayley took some time to reflect about ...

"Hurray for Re-Issues!" by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 1, 2018

A tribute to classic picture books, recently re-issued. In the last few years publishers have been reissuing picture books that are delightful offerings from some ...

"Never Underestimate a Gift Book" by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 29, 2018

We're nearing the end of this fantastic series by Gladys Hunt. If you're just checking in, please do check out The Hive for a list ...

“Look for Illustrators” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 25, 2018

We're up to the sixteenth in our series of posts by Gladys Hunt, author of Honey for a Child's Heart. In this one, she shares ...

“Sarah, Plain and Tall Series” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 22, 2018

We've got another post from Gladys Hunt for you today about a series beloved to many. For the other posts in this series, please check ...

“On Your Next Trip to the Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 18, 2018

In the fourteenth of our series of previously-unpublished posts, Gladys Hunt makes a list of her most-favorite recent picture books to check out at the ...

"Words That Build People" by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 15, 2018

Gladys Hunt gently reminds us that our words make a big impact on our children; let us use words that build up instead of tear down. This ...

“Watch Your Expletives!” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 11, 2018

In the twelfth in our series of previously-unpublished posts, Gladys Hunt cautions about "those words" our kids pick up at school, at play--and increasingly in ...

Gladys Hunt: Grammar Does Matter

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 8, 2018

Gladys Hunt reflects on the importance of grammar, plain and simple, in this essay. It's not as hard as you might think! This is the next ...

Reading as "Mother Culture": A Bibliographic Essay

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 6, 2018

Mother Culture In September, I was privileged to give a talk on the practice of reading as it relates to "Mother Culture" at a Charlotte ...

“Second Guessing the Message” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 4, 2018

In the tenth of our previously-unpublished posts by Gladys Hunt, she begins a series on the value of language by reflecting on nonverbal communication. Years ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Oct 1, 2018

Gladys Hunt shares some tips for encouraging early literacy in young children in this latest post. For more in our Gladys Hunt series, see The Hive. ...

“Boys and Books” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 27, 2018

This latest in our Gladys Hunt series, which we affectionately call The Hive, looks at the types of books boys enjoy and muses over why so ...

“Born to Read” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 24, 2018

Gladys Hunt reflects on the importance of reading in a child's life and shares some of her favorite books for encouraging kids to read. This is ...

“Reading Intentionally” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 20, 2018

Gladys Hunt recommends reading aloud not just a a way of bonding with family but as a way of making and keeping friends. This is ...

“A Good Book is a Magic Gateway” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 17, 2018

This latest in our Gladys Hunt series, which we affectionately call The Hive, looks at the possibilities inherent in book discussions and how books can ...

“Building a Child’s Personal Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 13, 2018

How do you know which books you just have to own? In her fourth post of our series, Gladys Hunt offers tips on recognizing "the ...

Books and Stories: Reflections by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 10, 2018

Readers, we are beyond thrilled to bring you some of Gladys Hunt's last writing on books! See The Hive for more information on this opportunity. ...

Five Favorites: Old and New

By Hayley Morell | Sep 6, 2018

With leaves changing and school beginning, our Redeemed Reader intern, Zoe Watters, shares five books that can be enjoyed any time of year. As she ...

“Make Your Own Life Bigger” by Gladys Hunt

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 5, 2018

According to Gladys Hunt, developing an appreciation for the public library in your child begins with YOU. This is the second in our series of ...

“The Mystery of the Library” by Gladys Hunt

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 3, 2018

Readers, we are beyond thrilled to bring you some of Gladys Hunt's last writing on books! See The Hive for more information on this opportunity. ...

Behind the Bookcase “Read-Alikes”

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 30, 2018

Unfortunately, we have removed the series "Behind the Bookcase," but we invite you to read one of the articles below instead. They are also by ...

Fruit in Season: Worth the Wait

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 12, 2018

A State of Abundance I live in beautiful Washington state, in the part of the state that grows many of the cherries and apples the ...

Fighting the Patriarchy, One Review at a Time

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 10, 2018

Float is a fun summer read about boys being boys, but some of the reviewers had a problem with that. The protagonist of Float, by ...

Rick Riordan Presents: A Pagan State of Mind

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 26, 2018

Three new series bearing the Rick Riordan name share an interest in pagan deities and a neo-pagan worldview. When Rick Riordan introduced his signature character, ...

Philosophy, Science, Ethics: the Need for Science Fiction

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 20, 2018

Are You a Sci-Fi Fan? Are you a Trekkie? A Star Wars fan? Perhaps you've faithfully watched Dr. Who, Stargate, or Battlestar Galactica. Or perhaps you are a ...

Summer Books for Refugees

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 6, 2018

One of our co-founders, Emily Whitten, has a great opportunity for you, readers, to help support a book-based ministry this summer! Read on for her ...

Becoming a Better Bibliophile

By Megan Saben | May 24, 2018

I keep convincing myself that I would be a better person if I simply buy another book. These will make me more godly. This will ...

Transgender Confusion

By Janie Cheaney | May 10, 2018

In the March 31 issue of World Magazine, reporter Emily Belz wrote at length about the slow incursion of books supporting transgenderism into school libraries ...