The Story Of Martin Luther by Jared Kennedy

Martin Luther headlines a new series of Christian biographies for 4th-6th graders.

The Story of Martin Luther by Jared Kennedy. Crossway, 2024. 138 pages.

• Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12
• Recommended For: Ages 8-12

He was training to be a lawyer, but a life-threatening thunderstorm frightened him into bargaining with God: if his life was spared, he would become a monk. Brother Martin had gifts amenable to monastery life, such as genuine piety and intelligence. But also an obsession with his own sins that drove him to severe self-criticism and drove his confessor to continual frustration with him. In time, a deeper study of the scriptures brought him face to face with grace. And a friar named John Tetzel began traveling the realm hard-selling indulgences for getting deceased loved ones out of purgatory. That couldn’t be right. Redemption was not for sale. Stirred by his new understanding, Martin prepared a list of 95 propositions for church reforms . . . 

Most of us know these facts about Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation, but may be vague on the details. Luther was a complex and fascinating character, leading a movement with many offshoots and consequences. This new biography presents his personality in context, with lively details and engaging prose. For example, Luther probably didn’t nail his 95 theses to the church door, because nails were costly. More likely, he glued that world-shaking document. But “imagining the Reformer marching through town with a glue pot isn’t as exciting and inspiring” as a hammer. Or as symbolic. 

The author doesn’t whitewash Luther’s flaws, such as his volcanic anger and his take-no-prisoners approach to enemies. His harsh criticism of Protestant excesses among the peasants probably contributed to thousands of them being slaughtered during the Peasant’s Revolt, and his unbridled contempt for the Jews gave at least a modicum of justification for the Holocaust. But his passionate faith and influence on history make a character everyone should know. The main text is augmented with graphite illustrations, a detailed timeline, and sidebars about theological issues, Luther’s writings (and insults!), historical context, and more. Luther’s story, combined with his wife Katie’s, are the first volumes in Crossway’s Lives of Faith & Grace series. We look forward to more.

Considerations: None.

Bottom Line: An informative and entertaining biography for upper elementary grades.

Recommended Reading at Redeemed Reader

• Book Review: There’s no shortage of Luther biographies! See our reviews of Martin Luther and the Reformation (for ages 8-10), Luther (a Kingstone graphic novel for middle grades), and Luther in Love (for young teens).
• Book Review: Jared Kennedy also wrote The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible (starred review) and contributed to Faith Builder Catechism (starred review).
• Review + Resource: John Calvin’s Illustrated Institutes graphic-novelizes one of the Reformation’s greatest works (starred review). See also our Reformation Church History Booklist celebrating the 500th anniversary of Luther’s nailing (er, gluing) those 95 Theses to the church door.

You may purchase The Story of Martin Luther from Amazon.

You can also purchase this volume with its companion volume from Westminster Books.

As with many books, we received a free copy of this book from the publisher in return for a fair, unbiased review.