Resources
Books And Movies: A Redeemed Reader Booklist
By Betsy Farquhar |
We readers have lots of opinions about movies based off books. But let's flip the script: What about books that are about movies? The books ...
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2025 Reader’s Choice + Books of the Year
By Hayley Morell |
We are proud to present the winners of our inaugural Books of the Year Award! *Most of this content was originally published in our May ...
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First Steps in Verse: *You’re a Poet and Dino Poet
By Janie Cheaney |
You’re a Poet is a friendly and practical guide not just to writing poetry, but thinking poetically. *You’re A Poet: Ways to Start Writing Poems ...
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Birds of a Feather: Bird Books for Kids
By Betsy Farquhar |
Do you have a young bird lover in your house? A bird nerd who, at age 10, can tell you all the migratory species that ...
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Trans Ideology: Resources for Parents
By Janie Cheaney |
The tide against trans identification among children may be turning, and that's a welcome development. But any ideology that gets its hooks into the young ...
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How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam Luce and Hunter Williams
By Janie Cheaney |
How to Teach Kids Theology reminds parents and youth leaders of the whys and wherefores of biblical instruction. How to Teach Kids Theology by Sam ...
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Strangers & Sojourners: A Redeemed Reader Booklist about the Refugee and Immigrant Experience
By Hayley Morell |
We've reviewed many books about refugees and the immigrant experience over the years at Redeemed Reader. In 2018 and 2019, our summer reading challenges supported ...
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*Soul School by Amber O’Neal Johnston
By Betsy Farquhar |
Soul School is a well-researched, thoughtful, and joyful exploration of Black literature for children and teens. Highly recommended. *Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled ...
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2025 ALA Newbery Award – Nailed It!
By Janie Cheaney |
Well, not exactly. We (especially I) were off on our predictions about the winners, but pretty accurate about what the Newbery Committee would be looking ...
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Newbery Buzz #5: Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All
By Megan Saben |
Megan and Janie discuss Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller. (See our starred review, HERE.) Megan: Janie, this book builds on a common ...
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Newbery Buzz #4: The Bletchley Riddle
By Hayley Morell |
Betsy and Hayley discuss The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. (See our starred review, HERE.) Hayley: Betsy, I know you and I ...
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Newbery Roundup #2: Plain Jane, Wrong Way Home, and The First State of Being
By Janie Cheaney |
Our second roundup of Newbery-buzzing books includes a graphic-novel fairy tale, an escape narrative, and a time-travel adventure. Plain Jane and the Mermaid mixes fairy-tale ...
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Newbery Buzz #3: Ferris
By Hayley Morell |
Betsy and Hayley discuss Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, another new favorite. (See our starred review, here.) Hayley: Betsy, it's no secret I love Ferris. In ...
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Newbery Buzz #2: One Big Open Sky
By Janie Cheaney |
Today Betsy, Janie, and Hayley discuss a verse novel we all loved. (See our starred review.) Janie: When we picture wagon trains moving west, we ...
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Newbery Buzz #1: Olivetti
By Janie Cheaney |
Here we go again: when ALA Award season approaches, we can’t help speculating about which high-profile children’s books will snatch the coveted Newbery medal. Sometimes ...
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Newbery Roundup #1: Hank Hooperman, Louder Than Hunger, and The Enigma Girls
By Janie Cheaney |
It's time to start buzzing about Newbery contenders! We'll do our share in the following weeks, but the various ALA award committees have been buzzing ...
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Jolabokaflod for Megan’s family in 2024
By Megan Saben |
Choosing Jolabokaflod titles for my family every year is a pleasant challenge. What would interest each member that we don't already have in our collection? ...
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Back Porch Book Chat with Tasha Kazanjian (YA author)
By Megan Saben |
Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we're visiting with Tasha Kazanjian, author of A Trick of Spades. A lover ...
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Spiders: A Book List for Young Arachnophiles
By Megan Saben |
A few weeks ago I was trying to address the cobwebs on the walls and corners above my desk (possibly some procrasti-cleaning due to a ...
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*Little Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Joe Sutphin
By Megan Saben |
A classic Christmas story of an old sinner who finds redemption through visits from four spirits who convict him of his worldly wretchedness. Little Christmas ...
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Gifts for Grownups, Round 2
By Betsy Farquhar |
Even though your Redeemed Reader team is reading a plethora of books for children and teens, we do also read grownup books, too! A few ...
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📚Amazon Black Friday BOOK Deals (2024)
By Betsy Farquhar |
We resist posting much Christmas content before Thanksgiving, but we also know that *many* of you are watching those Black Friday deals. Side note: since ...
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The Best This World Can Do: Thoughts about “Not Nothing” by Gayle Forman
By Janie Cheaney |
Christian book reviewers face certain challenges. We could review only Christian books and be reasonably assured that we won’t run into glaring content problems like ...
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Choosing Biographies: Practical Considerations
By Betsy Farquhar |
Before we look at some practical considerations for choosing biographies, have you already answered the most important question before choosing biographies? That might seem like ...
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Choosing Biographies: Start with Your “Why”
By Betsy Farquhar |
Deshawn comes home from school with a dreaded school book report assignment: biographies. Leyla needs to diversify her fantasy reading, and Dad thinks biographies are ...
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Back Porch Book Chat with William Boekestein
By Janie Cheaney |
Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we're visiting with William Boekestein. Bill is an author best known around here ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Kristyn Getty (Singer, Hymn Writer, and Author)
By Janie Cheaney |
Kristyn is the founder, along with her husband Keith, of Getty Music. She is an award-winning hymn writer and the author of Sing! and a ...
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Where Did the Ratings Go?
By Hayley Morell |
This post was first shared in our weekly newsletter. If you'd like to subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates: book reviews, book trivia, and ...
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Kentucky Derby Book List: Books for Young Horse Lovers
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Kentucky Derby runs every first Saturday of May. Will there be another Triple Crown winner this year? Will an underdog horse come from nowhere ...
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Ten Little Rabbits by Maurice Sendak
By Janie Cheaney |
Ten Little Rabbits, published ten years after the author’s death, doesn’t detract from the Sendak legacy. Ten Little Rabbits by Maurice Sendak. Harper, 2024, 26 ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Elizabeth Farquhar (Teen Writer)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Josiah DeGraaf (Director of Young Writers Workshop)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
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Gift Books for Grown-Ups
By Betsy Farquhar |
Redeemed Reader exists to "shed a gospel light on books for children and teens." But you know what? We read books for grown-ups, too! We ...
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Niche Nonfiction for Teens (AKA “Living Books”): A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
Living Books Are Full of Ideas Those of us in Charlotte Mason educational philosophy circles like to talk about "living books." A living book is ...
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Janie’s Favorite Books, Old and New
By Janie Cheaney |
We are excited to be partnering with Story Glory Kids for our Winter Book Fair this year! In the past, we linked to amazon for ...
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Hayley’s Favorite Books, Old and New
By Hayley Morell |
We are excited to be partnering with Story Glory Kids for our Winter Book Fair this year! In the past, we linked to amazon for ...
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Megan’s Favorite Books, Old and New
By Megan Saben |
We are excited to be partnering with Story Glory Kids for our Winter Book Fair this year! In the past, we linked to amazon for ...
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Betsy’s Favorite Books, Old and New
By Betsy Farquhar |
We are excited to be partnering with Storyglory Kids for our Winter Book Fair this year! In the past, we linked to amazon for all ...
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The Hiding Place, A Christmas Carol, Hinds Feet on High Places, and Les Miserables: An Engaging Visual Journey
By Megan Saben |
The four books in the Engaging Visual Journey series provide beautiful, dignified forms to stories that are dearly loved spiritual classics. The Hiding Place by ...
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Children of Israel: Our Book List of Jewish Life, History, and Culture
By Janie Cheaney |
The terrifying attack on Israel on October 7 has brought new awareness to the ancient phenomenon of antisemitism. Though small in number (and reduced by ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Carolyn Givens (Author, Publisher, Reader)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
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Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons, 20th Anniversary Edition
By Megan Saben |
Those who love dragons and long for more lore will find this field guide an excellent companion. Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons, 20th Anniversary ...
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5 Ways to Encourage Art Appreciation with Picture Books
By Betsy Farquhar |
When are children old enough to begin appreciating quality art? As soon as they start looking at picture books. Note: even though this post references ...
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Authority vs. Anarchy: A Book List for Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Teaching the Faith: *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism
By Janie Cheaney |
A new edition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism uses cartoon illustrations as an aid to understanding and discussion. *The Illustrated Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern ...
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Books and Schoolhouse Battles
By Megan Saben |
Those of us who homeschool admire the one-room schoolhouse model of previous centuries. With simple resources, a wide-range of ages, and a school year that ...
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How to Throw a Book-themed Party for Kids
By emily |
(Originally published at Redeemed Reader on July 10, 2013, in connection with that year's Summer Reading Challenge) This week on our Summer Reading Challenge, we're ...
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Gladys Hunt on Re-issues: Good, Bad, and Ugly
By Janie Cheaney |
A story betrayed Originally published on the Tumblon website January 29, 2010 It’s sometimes like wandering into unknown territory if you’ve had favorite books in ...
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Summer Fun Ahead: a Picture Book Tour
By Janie Cheaney |
(Originally published at Redeemed Reader on May 21, 2013) The Not-for-Parents Travel Book, Lonely Planet Publications, 2011, 207 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 ...
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Gladys Hunt on Starred Reviews
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: "Starred reviews" are a guideline for librarians figuring how to spend the budget for the children's section. (We take particular notice of them ...
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Batter Up! Books About Baseball (a Librarian’s List)
By Betsy Farquhar |
(Originally published at Redeemed Reader on May 27, 2013; updated July, 2023) Aside from the beach, nothing says "summertime" and "American" more than a game ...
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Gladys Hunt on Personal Libraries
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: As we head into the last month of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along, we share the late Gladys Hunt's further thoughts ...
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Beach Books! (Librarians’ List)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Originally published at Redeemed Reader on June 6, 2014. Of course a professional book reviewer and librarian takes books with her to the beach—for herself ...
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Gladys Hunt on Stellar Historical Fiction
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: We're wrapping up our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along with Chapter 19, on historical novels. Sarah, Plain and Tall Series Originally published ...
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High School World Literature: A Thematic Approach
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Gladys Hunt on Pop-up Books
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Pop-up books could be one of those "Fresh Ways to Read" we're considering in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along this month. ...
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Gladys Hunt on the Magical Tool of Language
By Janie Cheaney |
The Power of Words Originally published on the Tumblon website, April 14, 2009 “If you know how to use words, you don’t have to be ...
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Gladys Hunt on an Exaggerated Demise
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," wrote Mark Twain, in response to a mistaken obituary. Likewise the reports of the death ...
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Gladys Hunt on Diversity
By Janie Cheaney |
“Teacher, do you have any books with pictures of kids that look like me?” Originally published on the Tumblon website, October 10, 2009 Probably more ...
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Gladys Hunt on Disappearing Mothers
By Janie Cheaney |
Where are the Mothers? Originally published on the Tumbln website, April 8, 2009 Sometime when you are with people who like children’s books, try out ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Josiah Pettit (Director of Westminster Books)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
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Gladys Hunt: In Praise of Mothers
By Janie Cheaney |
Mothering Day Originally published on the Tumblon website, May 10, 2009 The British call it “Mothering Day”—the day they honor mothers. Adding that ing gives ...
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Gladys Hunt on “Improving” the Classics
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along this month takes us to Chapters 8 ("Who Influences Your Children?") and Chapter 21 ("Young Adult ...
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Back Porch Book Chat: Lucy Gundersen (Mom, Business Owner)
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
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Gladys Hunt on Getting Them to Sleep
By Janie Cheaney |
Go to Sleep Books Originally posted on the Tumblr Website, June 23, 2009 A new mother told me that her baby received four copies of ...
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Practical Graduation Gifts: A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
We have a robust list of book recommendations for graduation gifts. Why another? This book list is all about practical graduation gifts: books that offer ...
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Gladys Hunt on Developing a Sympathetic Heart
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: This month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along looks at Chapter 23, "Nourishing Your Child's Spiritual Life." This must include a sympathetic heart ...
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Gladys Hunt on Taking Notice
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: The Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along is focusing this month on Chapter 7 ("Honey from the Rock") and Chapter 23 ("Nourishing Your ...
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How to lead a book discussion without really trying, part 2: The book club
By Megan Saben |
Often the best way to do discuss books effectively is to not plan it all out ahead of time. Megan's family started with a motif ...
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Gladys Hunt on Library Blessings
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: The American Library Association may be a perpetrator of much mischief in children's publishing, but we can be grateful for libraries! In praise ...
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How to lead a book discussion without really trying, part 1: The motif journal
By Megan Saben |
Often the best way to do discuss books effectively is to not plan it all out ahead of time. Megan's family started a motif journal ...
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Gladys Hunt on Simplicity
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Bored with reading the same picture books over and over? Hang in there--you're teaching little ones to turn pages as well as exercise ...
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15 Books for 15-Year-Old Boys: A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Gladys Hunt on Pigs and Possibilities
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Are there any animal lovers in the family? Gladys Hunt can recommend nine--count 'em, nine--recommendations for a classic story involving not one, but ...
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Honey for a Child’s Heart Read Along: Month 7
By Betsy Farquhar |
Welcome to month 7 of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read Along! Not sure what we're talking about? Find out more here. Each month, ...
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Gladys Hunt on Shared Adventures
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: This month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along chapters are "The Pleasure of a Shared Adventure" and "Animal Lovers." Here's Gladys Hunt with ...
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Understanding Ukraine
By Hayley Morell |
A year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, here is an updated booklist from Hayley's 2014 series of posts about Ukraine. In 2014, as Russia invaded ...
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Gladys Hunt on the Music (and Magic) of Words
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: The universe began with spoken words ("And God said . . .") and in a sense, so do we. We wrap up this ...
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Why Your Church Nursery Needs a Library
By Megan Saben |
The Lord has been challenging my reading skills and assumptions lately, both humbling and teaching me in the process. I had offered to teach a ...
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Gladys Hunt on Raising Readers
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: "Literacy" begins long before a child can read for herself. Here, Gladys Hunt muses about how to take those first steps. How do ...
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Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Poetry with Children
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: This month we're reading the two chapters in Honey for a Child's Heart that address poetry. Do you enjoy poetry? Would you like ...
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Love and Laughter Book List
By Janie Cheaney |
A Valentine's Day list of books that celebrate family love and wholesome romance. It’s the season of hearts and flowers and chocolate. Valentine’s Day is ...
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Romantic Reads for Teens: A Book List for Girls and Guys
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Gladys Hunt on Choosing Mother Goose
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: It's a new month--meaning a new chapter in our Honey for a Child's Heart Read-along. Or actually, two chapters: #5: "Poetry" and #22: ...
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Honey for a Child’s Heart Read Along: Month 6
By Betsy Farquhar |
Welcome to month 6 of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read Along! Not sure what we're talking about? Find out more here. Each month, ...
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The 2023 ALA Youth Media Awards
By Hayley Morell |
A Redeemed Reader Tradition This morning, a Redeemed Reader tradition of multiple years continued: listening to the ALA Youth Media Awards. Last year we gathered ...
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Gladys Hunt on Enduring Value
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: The "something new" Gladys Hunt notes below has been around awhile now and changes have occurred which she would probably have deplored. Something ...
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Gladys Hunt on Award-Winning Books
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: On Monday, the American Library Association announces its annual Youth Media Awards But how many of the honored books will still be read ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz #3: Northwind
By Janie Cheaney |
Might Gary Paulsen's last novel be a sentimental favorite for Newbery recognition? The State of Nature Betsy: Janie, this is only the second Paulsen book ...
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2023 Newbery Buzz #2: The Door of No Return
By Janie Cheaney |
Back for our second buzz, Janie and Betsy talk over a troubling but moving verse novel. Out of Africa Janie: Kwame Alexander scored a gold ...
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Gladys Hunt on Metaphor and Imagination
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Continuing this month's Honey for a Child's Heart Read-Along, we're thinking further about value of literary fantasy. A Metaphor Says This is Like ...
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Wintry Stories: A Book List for Middle Grades and Teens
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Wintry Picture Books: A Book List
By Betsy Farquhar |
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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Gladys Hunt on Little Golden Books
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: You may have to be of a certain age for Little Golden Books to tweak your memory, but there was a lot of ...
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Honey for a Child’s Heart Read Along: Month 5
By Betsy Farquhar |
Welcome to month 5 of our Honey for a Child's Heart Read Along! Not sure what we're talking about? Find out more here. Each month, ...
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Gladys Hunt on Reading Together
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Most of us don't need persuading, but how do you find the time to read together as a family? Glady Hunt has some ...
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Gladys Hunt on Book-Gifting
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor’s Note: We assume that most Redeemed Reader readers love books, and love to give them. But you may wonder, how can I choose for ...
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Bookish Gifts for Boys
By Megan Saben |
What makes good gifts for book lovers besides more books (and infinite bookshelf space)? Here are some lovely things we've recently discovered that would be ...
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Bookish Gifts for Girls
By Megan Saben |
What makes good gifts for book lovers besides more books (and infinite bookshelf space)? Here are some lovely things we've recently discovered that would be ...
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Gladys Hunt on Christmas Books
By Janie Cheaney |
Editor's Note: Is reading aloud beside the Christmas tree one of your family's holiday traditions? If so, you'll want to copy & paste this list ...
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