book reviews

Don't Blame the Mud introduces children to the concept of indwelling sin in a way that they can relate to and grasp. Don’t Blame the ...

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing. And there are lots of new books commemorating that event and the moon itself! ...

O Captain, My Captain encapsulates the Civil War through the eyes of its most famous poet. *O Captain, My Captain: Walt Whitman, Abraham Lincoln, and ...

The New York City draft riots of 1863 form a dramatic background to this engaging tale of two young Irish immigrants. Last of the Name ...

It's Independence Day this week, and, naturally, we've got you covered with a book list! Every few years or so, we compile a patriotic book ...

Four homeless children in India find their own "bridge home" in this engaging novel for middle grades. *The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman.  Random House ...

A middle grades novel packed with life in ancient Egypt and an orphan's adventure among the tombs of the dead. *The Golden Goblet by Eloise ...

A roundup of recent middle-grade novels about family formation and dissolution. Stories, like people, begin at home, and no matter how fanciful or adventurous middle-grade ...

Find out why that poor coyote never actually catches the speedy roadrunner in these clever science books for young physicists. Wile E. Coyote, physical science ...

Going on vacation this summer? What about daily trips to the pool and back? Perhaps you have some summer evenings on the porch planned. Sounds ...

The Church Mice series recaptures a very British way of life through a band of adventurous mice and their loyal protector cat. The Church Mice ...

Practical worksheets and relevant concerns make this “Survival Guide” a useful money primer for middle graders. The Survival Guide to Money Smarts by Eric Braun ...

"Money smarts" begin at home in this family-oriented guide to teaching wise management. The Money Smart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides.  Thomas Nelson, ...

The "last day of summer" turns into a literal race against time for two intrepid, legendary sleuths. The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles.  Versify (HMH), ...

It's time for a summer reading challenge! Redeemed Reader isn't sponsoring a particular summer reading challenge this summer, but we've got some fantastic options in ...

A disgruntled boy gifted with "time sight" discovers a way back into his own family's history. *Time Sight by Lynne Jonell.  Henry Holt, 2019, 389 ...

Moms need book recommendations, too! Those of you who enjoyed the Faith, Fiction, and Fellowship Read-Along in the spring read through Christina Fox's Closer Than ...

Ronan Boyle is the hapless hero of this hilarious new fantasy series that pits special-unit Irish police against nefarious leprechauns. Ronan Boyle and the Bridge ...

When you are ready to introduce your family to a classic edition of Pilgrim’s Progress, two simplified versions complement each other beautifully, providing solid familiarity ...

This brand-new Children's Edition of the New American Standard Bible is a must-have for NASB users. NASB Holy Bible, Children’s Edition, Three Sixteen Publishing, 2019, ...

This graphic-novel adaptation of The Odyssey has some beautiful panels and a few problems. The Odyssey: a Graphic Novel by Gareth Hinds.  Candlewick, 2010, 248 ...

Gareth Hinds' adaptation of The Iliad is an excellent introduction to Homer's classic for middle graders and teens. *The Iliad: a Graphic Novel Adaptation by ...

Nine Months shows the development of human life, from embryo to newborn, in gentle rhymes and beautiful paintings. Nine Months: before a Baby Is Born ...

The Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. Lewis.  Eerdmans, 2014, 256 pages.  (Originally published 1933 UK, 1935 US) Reading Level: Teen/adult Recommended for: ages 18-up In ...

Shakespeare fans who have room on their shelves and a box of freshly sharpened colored pencils will find good application for both with three fun ...

Black cowboy George Fletcher, the "People's Champion," is the subject of this story from the old west. Let 'er Buck! George Fletcher, the People's Champion ...

David Macaulay again turns his drafting ability and clear prose on a massive engineering project, and this time it's personal. Crossing in Time: Steam Engines, ...

Meet Mercy Watson, the Porcine Wonder My kids and I first met Mercy Watson, the porcine wonder, in the pages of her first book: Mercy ...

Anachronistic values mar this otherwise compelling account of the short career of Joan of Arc. Voices: the Final Hours of Joan of Arc by David ...

Lovely War is a satisfying romance that will leave readers with much to think about. Lovely War by Julie Berry.  Viking, 2019, 451 pages. Reading ...

The Wimpy Kid's long-suffering best friend takes the narrative helm in the latest from the wildly successful book franchise. Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: ...

The movie version of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, which included some creative liberties, was faithful to the themes of the classic allegory and fueled a delightful ...

The Collectors is the first volume of a duology that explores the limits of human responsibility for the destiny of others. The Collectors by Jacqueline ...

Adulting 101: #Wisdom4Life by Josh Burnette and Pete Hardesty. Broadstreet Publishing Group, 2018. 192 pages. Reading Level: Ages 16 and up Recommended For: Ages 14 ...

Biracial siblings connect with their estranged grandparents in Caterpillar Summer. Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn.  Bloomsbury, 2019, 291 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 ...

Home-schooled Emma learns a lot about classrooms and friendship "Because of the Rabbit." Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord.  Scholastic, 2019, 183 pages. Reading ...

Beast Rider offers a sympathetic take on the immigration issue through the experience of one Mexican boy. Beast Rider by Tony Johnson and Maria de ...

The Defend Your Faith Bible equips middle graders for apologetics with arguments for the reasonableness and accuracy of the scriptures. CSB Defend Your Faith Bible: ...

Though more of a devotional Bible than a study Bible, this edition offers thought-provoking questions and application features. CSB Study Bible for Girls.  Baker, 2018, ...

Three recent editions of the NIV from Zondervan target adventurous kids and fantasy lovers. NIV God’s Treasure Holy Bible.  Zonderkidz, 2018, 1216 pages (font size ...

A beautiful, artistic representation of the story of Easter using rocks set against a black backdrop. Starred review for He is Risen. *He is Risen: ...

A coloring Bible may make a lovely gift for the right recipient, but is it the best choice for reading and studying? The appearance of ...

Eventown is a place of forgetting, but how much forgetting does that take before you forget yourself? Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn.  HarperCollins, 2019, 326 ...

Identical twins struggle to re-define themselves in The Lost Girl, a fantasy for middle-grade readers. The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu. HarperCollins (Walden Pond), 2019, ...

Someday We Will Fly explores a little-known chapter of the Holocaust: the Jewish refuge of Shanghai. Someday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskin.  Viking, 2019, ...

Sweeter Than Honey offers readers a clear, step-by-step approach to studying the Bible. Sweeter Than Honey: Cultivating an Appetite for the Word of God by ...

Mitali Perkins' latest novel takes two conflicted teens to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith. *Forward Me Back to You ...

With Explorer Academy, National Geographic launches an action sci-fi series taking readers to the world's natural wonders. The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy #1) by Trudi ...

A days-long power outage is the premise for Zap, a STEM-based, character-driven novel for middle graders. Zap by Martha Freeman.  Simon & Schuster, 2018, 288 ...

Holling Hoodhood comes to appreciate more than Shakespeare in this humorous historical fiction middle school novel. Starred review for The Wednesday Wars! *The Wednesday Wars ...

In Checked, one family's deep involvement in hockey provides the background for life questions. Checked by Cynthis Kadohata.  Atheneum, 2019, 404 pages. Reading Level: Middle ...

A dauntless 11-year-old boy confronts a possible Russian spy in this Cold-War-era thriller. Spy Runner by Eugene Yelchin.  Henry Holt (Godwin Books), 2019, 343 pages ...

Naima loves to draw, but how can she use that gift to help her poor Bangladeshi family earn some much needed income? Rickshaw Girl by ...

Chiko and Tu Reh learn to face challenges and love their enemies in modern day, war-torn Burma in this realistic fiction novel for teens. Starred ...

To "pay attention" to the world around you is rule #1 of a life well lived, as this winning middle-grade novel shows. *Pay Attention, Carter ...

Two recent graphic-novel adaptations of classic stories have their strengths, but overall demonstrate the adage, "the book is better." A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine ...

New Kid offers a fresh and funny graphic-novel take on the middle-school blues. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-14 From Washington ...

Krosoczka, author of the Lunch Lady graphic novels, tells his own story in Hey Kiddo, a graphic novel memoir that is by turns harsh and tender. ...

In The Enchanted Hour, Meghan Cox Gurdon makes the intellectual, social, and emotional case for reading aloud, at any age, to any age. The Enchanted ...

A beleaguered planet, flight school, and one young woman's quest to prove herself and clear her family honor combine in this excellent YA. Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. Delacorte Press, ...

You Who: Why You Matter and How to Deal with It is a refreshing take on the "find yourself" messages blaring from our culture for ...

*The Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by JoAnn Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy. Bloomsbury, 2019, 309 pages including ...

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden.  Bloomsbury, 2019, 257 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12-15 Recommended for: ages 14-up Judy 12, 1881, Savannah, Georgia: Essie Mirth ...

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 ...

Me: "That school must be named after Lise Meitner. Didn't she do something with uranium?" {the school in question was on a TV show and ...

Three recent novels for middle-grade through YA feature characters with schizophrenia or depression. Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy Baldwin.  HarperCollins, 2018, 245 pages. Reading ...

Foundling, Lamplighter, and Factotum by D. M. Cornish. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2006-2010. Ages 12 & up. Reading Level: Young Adult, ages 12-14 Recommended for: ages 12 & ...

Several of these picture books recently won awards (or honors) in the ALA YMA in January. And one of them is brand new, hot-off-the-press in ...

*Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends Them: Schizophrenia Through a Mother's Eyes by Simonetta Carr.  Presbyterian & Reformed, 2019, 359 pages. Reading Level: Adult Recommended for: ...

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 ...

This unusual biography of Abraham Lincoln frames his life as a series of ten decisions, in which the reader is invited to participate. It’s Up ...

The Young Man's Guide to Awesomeness is a well-organized, humorous, straight-talking guide for young men as they mature into godly adults. *The Young Man's Guide to Awesomeness: How to Guard Your Heart, Get the Girl, and Save the World by Barrett Johnson. INFO For Families, 2017. 158 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 12 and up Recommended For: Upper middle grades and up (ages 10+) Growing up is never easy. There are physical changes, ...

At the Well is a short book urging singles (teens and up) to wait on the Lord for marriage and for his timing. At the Well: Discovering God's Plan for Finding True Love by Kristen Tiber. Kristen Summers LLC, 2018. 146 pages. Reading Level: ...

Moving and beautiful, this post-Holocaust novel offers hope after horror. *What the Night Sings by Vesper Stamper.  Knopf, 2018, 249 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages ...

In these four tales inspired by Kipling's Jungle Book, Mowgli the man-cub learns the backstories of his fellow creatures. *Into the Jungle: Stories for Mowgli ...

A teenage Syrian refugee is the “Nowhere Boy” whose fate falls into the hands of an American 13-year-old. Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh.  Roaring Brook, ...

image from ALA website According to the ALA, "the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the ...

Astrid, the thunderbolt of Glimmerdal, charms readers as easily as she charms those around her in this delightful middle grades novel. *Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr. Candlewick, 2018 (English language version). 320 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10Recommended For: Family read aloud, ages 6 and up "Blistering badgers!" She's managed to sled —with speed and self ...

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 ...

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. ...

In The Biggest Win, players from the 2018 Super Bowl championship team coach young athlete in winning the kingdom of God. The Biggest Win: Pro ...

A sports reporter who was with the Eagles as their dream team came together tells the story of their amazing Super Bowl Win. Birds of ...

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 ...

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 ...

“The Disappearing Spoon” is one mystery solved by the periodic table, in this entertaining grab-bag of historical oddities from chemistry. The Disappearing Spoon (Young Readers ...

Even before we started Redeemed Reader, I read a lot of books.  Sometimes I reviewed them for my own blog and sometimes I just wanted ...

Not every teen is hanging out in the YA section of the library, wallowing in teen angst.* Plenty of teens are ready for meaty, engaging ...

Vera König must decide if she can trust the enemy in this moving, true Holocaust story of a Christian in Hitler's camps. Courage in the ...

Janie: The Book of Boy is one of the more unusual middle-grade novels to appear this year.  The main character is (not surprisingly) Boy, a ...

Continuing our series from last Friday about children's books seen as contenders for the ALA's coveted Newbery medal. The Truth As Told by Mason Buttle ...

Then end of the year is the beginning of buildup to the annual American Library Association (ALA) “Youth Media Awards,” culminating in the announcement of ...

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 ...

updated 10/21/19 READERS: Find info about the 2020 Reading Challenge here! The 2019 Reading Challenge for Kids and Teens Our 2019 Reading Challenge for Kids ...

I know, I know, there's so little time left before the Day of Much Rejoicing and Celebration, but I've got two strong recommendations for Christmas ...

This picture book gives a neglected holiday its due, celebrating “New Year” around the world with brilliant collage illustrations. Every Month is a New Year: ...

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 ...

Imagination literally runs wild in Inkling, the latest middle-grade novel from popular novelist Kenneth Oppel. *Inkling by Kenneth Oppel, with illustrations by Sydney Smith.  Knopf, ...

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 movie version of Mortal Engines opens this weekend.  Here's our original review of the series, originally published in January 2011. The Hungry Cities ...

More than a simple counting book, God Counts sets out to teach numerically inclined kids what God is like—through numbers. *God Counts: Numbers in His ...