Reflections

Cinderella Radio Review: Listen Here!

By emily | Mar 14, 2015

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/195843489" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /] Thanks to Megan Saben, Betsy Farquhar, Kristen Eicher (producer!) and my daughter, Rebecca, for making this review possible! ...

This Thing Called Diversity

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 13, 2015

Book Expo America (BEA) is a big event in the publishing world—the biggest, in fact. It’s a hodgepodge of authors, industry professionals, book reviewers, and ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 13, 2015

Why Cinderella? —a joint post from Betsy, Hayley, and Megan We at Redeemed Reader love a good fairy tale. Cinderella is perhaps the quintessential fairy tale ...

By Janie Cheaney | Mar 6, 2015

The American Library Association (ALA) stages a huge event every winter when it names the winners of its coveted John Newbery and Randolph Caldecott awards. ...

The Topography of Memory

By Betsy Farquhar | Mar 2, 2015

The Topography of Memory Over Christmas my family made a significant transition: we moved from East Tennessee to Central Washington. Some complicating factors meant we ...

How Long, O Lord? When Bibliotherapy Isn’t Enough

By Megan Saben | Feb 21, 2015

These are dark days. I received an email this week expressing familiar anguish over the haunting reports of 21 followers of Christ who were martyred ...

By Hayley Morell | Feb 14, 2015

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved stories and fairytales. She discovered Andrew Lang’s colored fairy books and read through them—pretty ...

50 Shades Trilogy: The Tim Challies Interview

By emily | Feb 7, 2015

(This interview was originally published Aug 7, 2012. We have repubbed today in preparation for the movie's release this Valentine's Day weekend.) NEW TO REDEEMEDREADER.COM? ...

The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis: an Introduction

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 6, 2015

This thing called “love”—what is it? Something we long for, feel vague stirrings about, idolize, draw inspiration from, and abuse left and right. It’s unpredictable, ...

By emily | Feb 6, 2015

(This interview was originally published Aug 8, 2012. We are republishing today in preparation for the movie's release Valentine's Day weekend 2015.) Fifty Shades of ...

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 3, 2015

Yesterday morning, the American Library Association announced their annual Youth Media Awards—which include, as any devotee of children’s literature knows, the celebrated Newbery and Caldecott ...

By Hayley Morell | Jan 23, 2015

I am a college student. I am also an avid reader. As I talk to fellow students, I have realized that it is a rarity to ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 1, 2015

Happy New Year! The Lord has blessed each of us on the Redeemed Reader staff—and our site as well—in 2014. We are excited to see ...

By Megan Saben | Dec 15, 2014

Once upon a time there was a little boy whose mother regularly took him and his siblings to the library. Every time he went, he ...

By emily | Nov 21, 2014

[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/177935219" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true" /] Thanks to Kristen Eicher for her help with sound editing! Thanks also to Dana and Chris Cowherd for ...

By emily | Nov 20, 2014

Don't forget to check out our Winter Book Fair with 50+ gift book recommendations for kids and teens! INTRODUCTION I recently sat down with Christian ...

By emily | Oct 11, 2014

Reviewing School Book Lists: Part One. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four. This post by Emily Whitten, co-founder of Redeemed Reader, is the final installment in ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Sep 15, 2014

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Robert McCloskey's birth. McCloskey is the author/illustrator of such familiar American children's books as Make Way for Ducklings, Blueberries for Sal, One ...

By emily | Sep 4, 2014

Reviewing School Book Lists: Part One. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four. In the previous part of this series, I acquainted our readers with a young ...

By emily | Aug 23, 2014

Reviewing School Book Lists: Part One. Part Two. Part Three. Part Four. (SUICIDE LIFELINE: 1-800-273-8255) Death of a Son On Monday morning, rumors swirled at Westwood ...

By Janie Cheaney | Aug 12, 2014

How do you use the label “anti-war?” As in, “Saving Private Ryan is the best anti-war movie ever made, or “All Quiet on the Western ...

By emily | Aug 6, 2014

Reviewing School Book Lists: Part One. Part Two. Part Three.Part Four. This post by Emily Whitten, co-founder of Redeemed Reader, is part of a series ...

By Hayley Morell | Aug 2, 2014

During the Summer Reading Challenge, Redeemed Reader interns Amos Peck and Grace Olson, Valen Caldwell, intern at Breakpoint.org, and I --Hayley Schoeppler, Redeemed Reader's executive assistant-- ...

By emily | Jul 26, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

By emily | Jul 22, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC, Week 6: Spy for the Night Riders

By Janie Cheaney | Jul 21, 2014

Welcome to Week 6! Time doth fly . . . We started out with The Blue Comet as our book for this week, but due ...

By emily | Jul 19, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

By emily | Jul 15, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC, Week 5: A Wrinkle in Time

By Megan Saben | Jul 14, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC Week 4, Teen List: Out of the Silent Planet

By Hayley Morell | Jul 12, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

By emily | Jul 8, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC, Week 4: The House of Arden

By Hayley Morell | Jul 7, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

The Story of Owen: Review and Discussion

By emily | Jul 5, 2014

It's officially an off-week here at Redeemedreader. But we've put together one "extra" post for your holiday weekend: a review of The Story of Owen: ...

By emily | Jun 28, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

By emily | Jun 26, 2014

Hey all! I'm working on a rather lengthy article for World Magazine right now about literature for teens. I will be talking with a family ...

By emily | Jun 24, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC, Week 2: Rush Revere and the First Patriots

By emily | Jun 24, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

By Janie Cheaney | Jun 22, 2014

**Please note: We've added an alternate reading option for this week. Spy for the Night Riders: Martin Luther (Trailblazer Books #3)by Dave and Neta Jackson. ...

SRC, Week 1 (Teen list): The Dragon’s Tooth by N. D. Wilson

By emily | Jun 21, 2014

Welcome Teens! Who's finished the first book??! Not me!!! And that's totally OK, because we've got another week before we post our discussion on The ...

By emily | Jun 17, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

SRC, Week 1: Chitty Chitty And The Race Against Time

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 16, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

The Fault in Our Stars: Coffee and Conversations

By emily | Jun 9, 2014

Introduction This Friday, The Fault in Our Stars hit movie screens across America. It was a big book (Time Magazine's #1 fiction book of 2012), ...

2014 Summer Reading Challenge…For the Whole Family

By emily | May 27, 2014

Other Summer Reading Challenge posts: Introduction, Week One: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Two: 1) Kids, 2) Teens, 3) Devotional. Week Three: off Week ...

Raising “Wild” Readers

By Megan Saben | May 21, 2014

How do you teach the pleasure of reading to non-readers? Convinced by research studies and personal experience that worksheets and conventional methods of teaching literary ...

Thinking Christianly–about Everything

By Janie Cheaney | May 7, 2014

Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition series, by various authors. Crossway, 2012-2016, 110-140 pages each. Age/interest level: 16-up. This fall, bright, committed Christian students will pack ...

Divergent: Coffee and Conversation

By emily | Apr 19, 2014

A few weeks ago, Veronica Roth's book Divergent hit the big screen. In God's providence, that morning I also happened to be in the same town ...

Introducing Shakespeare’s Plays to Children

By Megan Saben | Apr 2, 2014

Should you wait until your children are in high school before expecting them to tackle Shakespeare? Why not start them young, while they love learning ...

Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 3

By Hayley Morell | Mar 27, 2014

In this third part of our series, Hayley shares a list of nonfiction titles that encompass both Ukraine and Russia. (Here are links to part ...

Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Pt. 2

By Hayley Morell | Mar 15, 2014

Last week, we began our Ukrainian series with a personal reflection from our executive assistant, Hayley. Having recently visited orphans in Ukraine, Hayley gave us insight ...

Portrait of the Fantacist as a Young Man: Carpet People

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 28, 2014

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, ...

ALA Midwinter Conference Reflections

By Betsy Farquhar | Jan 30, 2014

Among children's literature lovers like ourselves, very little else holds the mystique of the ALA Youth Media Awards. The ALA holds two major national events ...

Live From Philly! Betsy Tweets the ALA Youth Media Awards

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 27, 2014

Since Friday, unhealthy Betsy's been rubbing elbows at the American Library Association winter conference in Philadelphia. This morning she got up super early to snag ...

The Spiritual World of The Hobbit + Giveaway

By Hayley Morell | Jan 23, 2014

(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 ...

Nurturing a young reader’s literary tastes

By Megan Saben | Jan 9, 2014

Parents with avid readers often find themselves with a dilemma: after my child has read all the age-appropriate books, where do we go from here? ...

The Narnia Dilemma

By Megan Saben | Dec 19, 2013

As we celebrate my firstborn’s seventh birthday soon, my husband and I are looking forward to introducing our children to C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia. ...

Reading Rapunzel

By Megan Saben | Nov 21, 2013

Today I'm going to demonstrate a close reading of one version of a classic fairy tale. My favorite book to use in demonstrating the illustrative ...

By Betsy Farquhar | Nov 15, 2013

For our purposes, wordless books are either entirely wordless or have very little text. A classic example is Peter Spier's Noah's Ark which begins with ...

How NOT to Read a Picture Book

By Megan Saben | Nov 7, 2013

Ten guaranteed ways to destroy a good picture book (without a Sharpie or a bonfire) Always read in the same tone of voice, without expression or ...

The Power of a Picture

By Janie Cheaney | Nov 5, 2013

It’s picture book month! And boy, do we have a lot of picture books to talk about. I keep hearing that the pb market is ...

Taking a Look at “Blink”–with Our Own YA Readers

By Janie Cheaney | Sep 13, 2013

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 ...

Beowulf: Legend, Worldview, and Contemporary Narratives

By Betsy Farquhar | Aug 19, 2013

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 ...

By Megan Saben | Aug 5, 2013

Help, I have too many books! Even for a bibliophile, this is not only possible, it has been reality at our house. Lately the Lord ...

By emily | Jul 26, 2013

THANK YOU It's been a fun couple of months during our Summer Reading Challenge, and my family has enjoyed reading along with you all. We're ...

Summer Reading Challenge: One Family’s Experience

By Betsy Farquhar | Jul 25, 2013

As we end our Summer Reading Challenge, I thought it would be fun for you--our readers--to hear a personal reflection from me on how our ...

Lemonade and Lit, Week 6: The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan

By emily | Jul 20, 2013

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, ...

Lemonade and Lit, Week 5: Beauty Discussion

By emily | Jul 13, 2013

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, ...

Lemonade and Lit, Week 4: Debate on Sexuality in Booked

By emily | Jul 6, 2013

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, ...

Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 2: Booked Discussion

By emily | Jun 22, 2013

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, ...

Adult-Teen Summer Reading, Introduction: Conversation and a Contest!

By emily | Jun 8, 2013

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, ...

100 Great Adventure Books for Kids: Summer Read Along Book Lists are Here!

By Betsy Farquhar | Jun 3, 2013

***To read the next post in this series, see our Summer Reading Challenge, Week 1: Around the World by Matt Phelan.*** Summer Reading Challenge June ...

Around the World in 60 Days: Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

By emily | May 23, 2013

***The Book Giveaway below is over (click here to see who won), but the reading adventure is just beginning! Feel free to enter your name ...

Christian Romance: part of a well-balanced “book diet”?

By Betsy Farquhar | May 20, 2013

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. ...

By Janie Cheaney | May 17, 2013

In 1868, after a grueling Civil War that defined America (by almost destroying it), novelist and critic John DeForest wrote a piece for The Nation ...

Hail and Farewell, Part 2: Russell Hoban

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 30, 2013

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 ...

Hail and Farewell: Maurice Sendak

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 23, 2013

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 ...

Loving Your Library

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 16, 2013

I’ll bet most of us have warm memories of the local library. I grew up in Dallas, where one of the many benefits of the ...

Church Literacy, Part Two: Welcoming Kids and Adults with Reading Difficulties

By emily | Apr 11, 2013

Last week in Church Literacy, Part One, we heard from a Christian mom who dealt with dyslexia in her son. I hope that gave you ...

Church Literacy, Part One: Interview with Mom of a Dyslexic Child

By emily | Apr 4, 2013

How Is Your Church Affected by Literacy Challenges? How many words do you read in your church worship service? 500 or more? Don't forget to ...

Choosing Your Child’s First REAL Bible: Some Considerations

By Janie Cheaney | Apr 2, 2013

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

Proverbs, Tricksters and Fools

By Megan Saben | Apr 1, 2013

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

Oz the Great and Powerful: Discussion Questions

By emily | Mar 14, 2013

Introduction Last week I had the happy opportunity of watching Disney's new Oz the Great and Powerful. I had to turn around a review that ...

Coffee and Controversy (with a cup of kindness!): Should Christians Read/Watch Stories Involving Witches and Wizards?

By emily | Feb 28, 2013

Next week, Lord willing, I'm headed to a screening of OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL, a new Disney movie set to hit theaters March 8. ...

ALA Awards: Newberys and Caldecotts, Splendors and Glooms

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 26, 2013

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

Home Mission: Letter to the Helpless Mom

By emily | Feb 22, 2013

Today some of my dear friends in the blogging world stop to honor and encourage a beautiful and brave woman of God. Our sweet sister-in-Christ, ...

Words and Pictures: a Talk with Doug TenNapel

By Janie Cheaney | Feb 20, 2013

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

What is Virtuous Romance? A Discussion with Gina Dalfonzo and Rea Berg

By emily | Feb 13, 2013

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

The 2013 ALA Youth Media Awards: It’s the Bomb!

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 29, 2013

Only total kidlit geeks would do this: click the live webcast link on the American Library Association website and watch an hour of book geeks ...

Identity and Revolution, part 2

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 25, 2013

Last week we looked at some YA titles that celebrated the “coming out” of gay and lesbian characters. “Young Adult” has traditionally been the accepted ...

The Roe Effect

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 22, 2013

On Friday I wrote about the treatment of homosexuality in youth literature, a topic I’m not quite done with. We notice more novels that normalize ...

Identity and Revolution, part 1

By Janie Cheaney | Jan 18, 2013

“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 ...

Grace and Law and Two Silver Candlesticks

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 21, 2012

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 ...

Audiobooks and Caricatures (Hobbit Read Along Finale, pt. 2)

By emily | Dec 13, 2012

Today is the release date of Peter Jackson's The Hobbit! But you probably already know that if you've been on our Hobbit journey. It's been ...

Other Lives: Reading and Watching Anna Karenina

By Janie Cheaney | Dec 7, 2012

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 ...

Hobbit Radio Theater Finalists

By emily | Nov 29, 2012

The entries are in! As you probably know, we're running a contest in which kids were invited to record themselves reading a few pages of ...

Hobbit Read Along, Week 4: How to Make Hobbit Feet and More!

By emily | Nov 26, 2012

Now that the turkey feathers have settled, it's time to get back to The Hobbit! In case you're running behind, here's a recap: 1) Introduction, ...

Hobbit Read Along, Week 2: Finding God in Tolkien’s Villains

By emily | Nov 12, 2012

Welcome to Week 2 of our Hobbit Read Along! (If you missed it, here's Week One.) How's the reading going at your house (or school ...

Hobbit Read Along, Week 1: How to Read For an Audience

By emily | Nov 5, 2012

Are you interested in joining our Hobbit Read Along? Sign up to receive weekly emails during the event either below or in the comments of ...

Hobbits, Hot Chocolate, & The Bookshelf Giveaway

By emily | Oct 22, 2012

The Hobbit Read Along Two weeks from today on Monday, November 5th, our Great Hobbit Read Along Adventure begins! We'll cover two or three chapters ...

Charlotte Mason and Living Libraries: An Invitation

By emily | Oct 11, 2012

On Monday, we posted a list of book and library resources from Christian librarians Betsy and Megan at . Today, however, I'd like you to ...

God’s Time to Make a Change

By Janie Cheaney | Oct 2, 2012

I was alive during the Civil Rights struggles of the mid-50s and 60s, but wasn't personally affected by them. So the history of those years ...