Resources
SRC Blue Comet: Problems and Alternate Suggestion
By Janie Cheaney |
**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. ...
Read More SRC, Week 1 (Teen list): The Dragon’s Tooth by N. D. Wilson
By emily |
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 ...
Read More SRC, Week One: Time Travel Devotional
By emily |
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 ...
Read More SRC, Week 1: Chitty Chitty And The Race Against Time
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
Read More New Teen Summer Reading Books!
By emily |
New Plans After taking a second look at our teen Summer Reading Challenge books (Reading List #2), we have decided to take two of our ...
Read More It’s Summertime! Let’s Learn Something!
By Janie Cheaney |
While we're gearing up for our summer reading challenge (still time to sign up!) the kids may be looking around for something to read. Fiction ...
Read More 2014 Summer Reading Challenge…For the Whole Family
By emily |
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 ...
Read More Raising “Wild” Readers
By Megan Saben |
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 ...
Read More Book Bits (May 12, 2014)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Brown v. Board of Education Did you know it's the 60th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education? Our children might ...
Read More Gifts for Grads, 3rd Edition
By Janie Cheaney |
If you have a high school or college graduate, you’re thinking about how fast time flies and how bittersweet the occasion of this very special ...
Read More Book Bits – May 5, 2014
By Janie Cheaney |
It’s graduation month, so we’re going to get all serious this week. Watch for gift recommendations and college prep resources, and if college isn’t in ...
Read More Congratulations to our Sonnet Contest Winners!
By Betsy Farquhar |
I know it's usual to proclaim how great all the entries are for any given contest, but it really is true for our sonnet contest. We received ...
Read More *The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
By Janie Cheaney |
*The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Harcourt Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. 237 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, ages 10-12 Maturity Level: 4 (ages 10-12) and up Bottom ...
Read More Book Bits (April 21, 2014)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Happy Easter Monday! I spent a semester in the Czech Republic during college and vividly remember a quirky Czech tradition: on Easter Monday, boys "whipped" ...
Read More Divergent: Coffee and Conversation
By emily |
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 ...
Read More Family Devotional Time
By Janie Cheaney |
Even though I have some reservations about personal devotional books, expressed here, family devotions are another story. While some formats are “less optimal” than others, ...
Read More Bible Review: The Big Picture Interactive Bible
By Janie Cheaney |
Big Picture Interactive Bible: Connecting Christ through God’s Story (HCSB)*. Broadman &Holman Kids, 2014, 1350 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages ...
Read More The Shakespeare Stealer–and an Interview with Author Gary Blackwood
By Janie Cheaney |
The Shakespeare Stealer (1998), Shakespeare's Scribe (2000), and Shakespeare's Spy (2003), by Gary Blackwood. Penguin Group; Puffin Books. Age/interest level: 12-16. True story: in 1998 ...
Read More It’s Party Time! How to wish Will a happy 450th
By Janie Cheaney |
What better way to celebrate Shakespeare's birthday than to throw a party! With ten or more guests and liberal use of the suggestions below, it ...
Read More Introducing Shakespeare’s Plays to Children
By Megan Saben |
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 ...
Read More Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 3
By Hayley Morell |
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 ...
Read More Librarians’ List: Easy/Leveled Readers, part 2
By Betsy Farquhar |
Lovable/Quirky Main Character Frances books by Lillian Hoban Arthur books by Lillian Hoban Little Bear books by Else Holmelund Minarik Penny books by Kevin Henkes ...
Read More Book Bits, March 17th, 2014
By Betsy Farquhar |
Happy St. Patrick's Day! First, we must congratulate DL for winning the Freddie Ramos giveaway! During the month of March, we're focusing on high interest ...
Read More Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Pt. 2
By Hayley Morell |
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 ...
Read More Librarians’ List: Easy/Leveled Readers, part 1
By Betsy Farquhar |
Oh, those early (slow) reading sessions when your son or daughter labors to sound out each and every phoneme…. It seems to take forever to ...
Read More Meet Lulu and Freddie: 2 Terrific Chapter Book Characters (+ a Giveaway)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Ready to move on from Frog and Toad? Henry and Mudge getting too easy for your newly independent reader? Rest assured: Junie B. Jones, Judy ...
Read More Presidents Day–What the Hayes?
By Janie Cheaney |
There didn’t used to be a Presidents Day; instead, Americans observed Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Washington (Feb. 22) separately. But since those two had thoughtfully ...
Read More Presidents’ Day: a Librarians’ List
By Betsy Farquhar |
Presidents' Day is one of those weird little holidays: school children rejoice in their day off, and lots of people don't give it another thought. ...
Read More Book Bits (February 10, 2014)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Lots of interesting little links and tidbits for you today in our weekly Book Bits feature (formerly Web Newberys)! Please remember that we do not ...
Read More Valentine’s Day
By Megan Saben |
As Christians we are called to practice so many forms of love besides the romantic kind. Themes for Valentine's Day can be broadened to emphasize ...
Read More Award-Winning Science Picture Books
By Janie Cheaney |
The Animal Book: a Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest—and Most Surprising—Animals on Earth, by Steve Jenkins. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 208 pages. ...
Read More The Spiritual World of The Hobbit + Giveaway
By Hayley Morell |
(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 ...
Read More And the winner is…
By Betsy Farquhar |
And the winner for our New Children's Bible giveaway is... Joey E. Congratulations, Joey! And thanks to those who shared their New Year's goals with ...
Read More A New Year: Goals + Giveaway
By Betsy Farquhar |
(Giveaway is now closed) Reading-Oriented New Year's Goals I'm one of those folks who enjoy making New Year's Resolutions. I prefer the term "goal" to ...
Read More Rounding Up Some Good YA Reads
By Janie Cheaney |
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 ...
Read More Pilgrim’s Progress adapted by Anna Trimiew
By Janie Cheaney |
Pilgrim’s Progress: John Bunyan’s Classic Story Adapted for Children, by Anna Trimiew, illustrated by Drew Rose. Great Commissions Press, 2013, 109 pages, including glossary and ...
Read More Truth in the Tinsel: A Family Advent Tradition
By emily |
Truth in the Tinsel Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I suppose the Christmas race has officially begun now, and with that in mind, ...
Read More Librarians’ List: Favorite Picture Books of 2013
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's time for another Librarians' List! Since it's picture book month, we're indulging our list-making hobbies and bringing you yet another list of our favorites. ...
Read More Reading Rapunzel
By Megan Saben |
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 ...
Read More Sci-fi Contest Winner and Podcast: From Ender’s Game to Hunger Games
By emily |
To listen to our a read along with real teens or find discussion questions about Ender's Game, please see our Ender's Game Read Along. Also, ...
Read More Character in the Midst of Diversity: 8 Titles to Note
By Betsy Farquhar |
2013 has given us lots of excellent diverse picture book titles: books about minority cultures, folktale retellings, and books by (or illustrated by) people of ...
Read More Winter Book Fair: Gift Books to Support Redeemedreader
By emily |
Dear Redeemedreaders, We appreciate you! If you have appreciated Redeemedreader this year, we'd love to have your support during the holiday season. We have narrowed ...
Read More Sci-fi Short Story Finalists: VOTE FOR A WINNER!
By emily |
New to Redeemedreader? Sign up for our biweekly newsletter on our homepage! You can also like us on Facebook or follow along on Twitter to keep up with ...
Read More Librarians’ List: 25 Picture Book Retro Reads
By Betsy Farquhar |
We've been spending quite a bit of time this month looking at newer picture books--many of them published in 2013. But today we're taking a ...
Read More Looking Forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas
By Janie Cheaney |
Every holiday season brings forth a crop of shiny new picture books, and we're on the beat. Today, two for Thanksgiving and two for Christmas--the ...
Read More How NOT to Read a Picture Book
By Megan Saben |
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 ...
Read More Teen Sci-Fi Writing Contest & Discussion: From Ender’s Game to Hunger Games
By emily |
***NOTE: AN ANONYMOUS DONOR HAS JUST UPPED THE 2nd AND 3rd PLACE PRIZES IN THIS CONTEST TO A $30 AMAZON GIFT CARD!*** Introduction It's been ...
Read More Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 4: Conclusions
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More Anselm: An Interview with Simonetta Carr
By emily |
Anselm of Canterbury (Christian Biographies for Young Readers) by Simonetta Carr. Reformation Heritage Books, 2013. 64 pgs. Ages 8-up. Simonetta Carr recently published Anselm of ...
Read More Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 3: The Science of the Story
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 2: Ender vs. Peter
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More Our Favorite Science Book Picks (and a Printable List!)
By Betsy Farquhar |
We've thrown a lot of titles at you during our Science September for science-related informational texts. Because we know many of you, like us, love ...
Read More Ender’s Game Read Along, Wk 1: Considering Sci-fi and Orson Scott Card
By emily |
Like sci-fi or dystopian stories? Check out our Sci-Fi Writing Contest for teens. You could win feedback from a sci-fi author and Thomas Nelson editor, ...
Read More More Favorite Science Books
By emily |
Welcome back to Science September at Redeemedreader! Last week, we heard from Janie on Science Biographies, as well as Betsy on some of her favorite ...
Read More The Enemy Stone: An Interview with Robert Treskillard
By Janie Cheaney |
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 ...
Read More Science Picture Books: Authors and Illustrators of Note
By Betsy Farquhar |
It's Science September at RedeemedReader! The world of picture book nonfiction (or "information books, " as nonfiction is being called now) is exploding with very ...
Read More Ender’s Game Read Along: A Galactic Giveaway and Contest!
By emily |
***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, ...
Read More Space Odyssey for Little Ones: An Interview with Kevin Luthardt
By emily |
THE BOOK REVIEW When Edgar Met Cecil. Peachtree Publishers, 2013. 32 pgs. Ages 4-8. Kevin Luthardt is an author-illustrator who has had a pretty big ...
Read More Laboring and Resting: Books about Both!
By Betsy Farquhar |
In this digital world of ours, I can post this blog entry "on" Labor Day without having to do any work on Labor Day: I'm ...
Read More Podcast 34: A Kids’ Review of Amish Fiction
By emily |
Big Year for Lily, A (The Adventures of Lily Lapp) by Suzanne Woods Fisher and Mary Ann Kinsinger. Revell, 2013. 272 pgs. Ages 8-up. With ...
Read More 2013 Summer Reading Challenge
By emily |
CLICK HERE FOR INFO ON OUR 2014 SUMMER READING CHALLENGE! Introduction From June 1 through July 31 of 2013, we hosted a Summer Reading Challenge ...
Read More Beowulf: Legend, Worldview, and Contemporary Narratives
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
Read More How to Skim a Book: The Lost Medallion by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick
By emily |
To Skim or Not to Skim It's seven o'clock, and you remember you have a book review due in the morning. But alas, you haven't ...
Read More History Audiobooks: Middle Ages for Kids
By emily |
***CONTEST CLOSED. WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*** Like most families, we're gearing up for school at our house. And like many other classical schoolers, we're using ...
Read More Home Library Management: Heart Issues
By Megan Saben |
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 ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit, Week 7: Klavan Discussion
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge Finale: Readers, Writers and…Winners
By emily |
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 ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge: One Family’s Experience
By Betsy Farquhar |
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 ...
Read More Two Books about China
By emily |
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu, Illustrated by Andres Vera Martinez. Graphic Universe TM, 2013. 96 pgs. Grades 4-7. When I ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Week 7: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
By Betsy Farquhar |
Don't forget to fill out the Redeemed Reader 2013 Survey if you haven't done so! (There's a giveaway involved!) Still hangin' in there with us? ...
Read More Survey Says… (and a Giveaway Announcement!)
By Betsy Farquhar |
We will be wrapping up our Summer Reading Challenge this week and taking next week OFF to regroup and tweak our plans for this fall. ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit, Week 6: The Last Thing I Remember by Andrew Klavan
By emily |
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, ...
Read More It’s Greek to Me!
By Hayley Morell |
This week in our Summer Reading Challenge, we're visiting Greece. So, thanks to our newest addition to the Redeemedreader family, Hayley Schoeppler, for leading us today ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Week 6: The Lightning Thief
By Hayley Morell |
Welcome to Week 6 of our Summer Reading Challenge! If you’d like to see other posts in this series,
Read More Lemonade and Lit, Week 5: Beauty Discussion
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Week 5: The Light Princess
By Megan Saben |
Welcome to Week 5 of our Summer Reading Challenge! If you'd like to see other posts in this series, check out our Summer Reading Challenge ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit, Week 4: Debate on Sexuality in Booked
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Interesting Picture Book Biographies (Librarians’ List)
By Betsy Farquhar |
Many people think picture books should be left behind in the preschool years. Megan and I heartily disagree with that sentiment, and we invite you ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit, Week 3: Beauty by Robin McKinley
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Wk 3: Nate Saint: Operation Auca
By emily |
Have you seen our new tab for the Summer Reading Challenge? In it, you'll find all the links to our Summer Reading Challenge--both the main ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 2: Booked Discussion
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Eat, Pray, Read…and Eat Again! Around the World Food Facts with Nive Burris
By emily |
In our trip around the world (see our Summer Reading Challenge), what could be more fun than using food to explore different cultures? Today, Nive ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Week 3: Mr. Popper’s Penguins
By emily |
Introduction We've added a Summer Reading Challenge tab at the top of our website, to help you keep up with the posts as the summer ...
Read More Book News, Freebies & Cheapies
By emily |
News Happy Monday! It's a busy week here at RR, find with Mr. Popper's Penguins up next in our Summer Reading Challenge for kids. (Here ...
Read More Lemonade and Lit Read Along, Week 1: Booked by Karen Swallow Prior
By emily |
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, ...
Read More Let’s Take a Road Trip: Our Final Destination
By Janie Cheaney |
Before I started writing The Middle of Somewhere, I did some research. Every novelist has to do some research, especially if she’s writing historical fiction ...
Read More Let’s Take a Road Trip (and the Second Key to Great Writing)
By Janie Cheaney |
(He likes the book so far, and but he hasn't got to the tragic part yet.) How’s the road trip going? Have we arrived in ...
Read More Let’s Take a Road Trip–and Write a Story!
By Janie Cheaney |
Our Around the World reading challenge book this week is The Middle of Somewhere, and it’s written by . . . um . . . ...
Read More Adult-Teen Summer Reading, Introduction: Conversation and a Contest!
By emily |
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, ...
Read More What’s In the Handbag, Nelly Bly? 6 Items For Your Trip Around the World
By emily |
I ran out of time in last week's post to include my travel tips for your Summer Reading adventure. So, taking inspiration from the humorous ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Wk 1: Interview with John Branyan
By emily |
It's Thursday, and that means it's time for our Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) extras! In case you missed it, here is the Introduction, our list of ...
Read More Summer Reading Challenge, Week 1: Around the World by Matt Phelan
By emily |
***To find out more about this challenge, see our Summer Reading Challenge introduction. Other posts related to Matt Phelan's books include our Interview with John ...
Read More 100 Great Adventure Books for Kids: Summer Read Along Book Lists are Here!
By Betsy Farquhar |
***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 ...
Read More Around the World in 60 Days: Summer Reading Challenge for Kids
By emily |
***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 ...
Read More Summer Fun: Interns Needed
By emily |
***This internship opportunity has been filled. See here for the winners.*** If you are a high school or college student, love literature and movies, and ...
Read More Steaming into Sunset: an Interview with Sherri Rinker
By Janie Cheaney |
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site (see our review here) hurled Sherri Rinker’s star into the picture-book firmament. Accepted by the first publisher she submitted it to, ...
Read More Web Newberys, News and Freebies
By emily |
News Booklists, sick a Summer Reading Challenge, and one of the funniest interviewees I've ever met...all coming up soon on Redeemedreader! But for now, here ...
Read More Gifts for Grads: Our Picks
By Janie Cheaney |
For a parent, there’s nothing scarier than sending a high school graduate out into the world—and in fact, the world looks pretty scary these days. ...
Read More And the winners are…
By Megan Saben |
Volunteering to judge a poetry contest is simultaneously one of the best and the worst jobs I could have asked for. The best, because it is ...
Read More Short Summer-Length Devotionals for Families
By Betsy Farquhar |
Summer's Just Around the Corner! My family's summer schedule is quite different from our school year schedule. What with travel, fun in the sun, and ...
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