Book Reviews
The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray
By Hayley Morell |
Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tilney once again join forces, this time facing the perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The Perils of Lady ...
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The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray
By Hayley Morell |
In the latest Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery, the characters of Mansfield Park are catapulted into the Rushworth Family Plot. The Rushworth Family Plot ...
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Tully’s Christmas Mess by Jill and Paul Miller
By Betsy Farquhar |
Tully's big Christmas mess is just one more reminder of the mess Jesus came to fix at the very first Christmas. Tully's Christmas Mess by ...
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The Birds of Christmas by Olivia Armstrong
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Birds of Christmas want to honor the birth of Jesus in their own special way in this sweet folktale. The Birds of Christmas by ...
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Your Worth Never Wavers by Laura Wifler
By Betsy Farquhar |
Your Worth Never Wavers seeks to reassure young girls of their intrinsic worth as God's handiwork. Your Worth Never Wavers by Laura Wifler, illustrated by ...
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The Picasso Curse by Dan Guzman
By Janie Cheaney |
The Picasso Curse poses the question, What would you do if a million-dollar piece of artwork fell into your hands? The Picasso Curse by Dan ...
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Lost Evangeline: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo
By Janie Cheaney |
In Lost Evangeline by Kate DiCamillo, wishes are fulfilled in unexpected ways. Lost Evangeline: A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Candlewick, ...
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The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein by John Greco
By Hayley Morell |
Time travel and small town America collide in The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein, an action-packed series starter to the TimeFall Trilogy. The Unlikely Intrusion ...
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Adi of Boutanga by Alain Serge Dzotap
By Betsy Farquhar |
Adi of Boutanga is a gentle story about a harsh reality for young women in Cameroon (and elsewhere in the world). Adi of Boutanga: A ...
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Moonleapers by Margaret Peterson Haddix
By Betsy Farquhar |
Maisie is excited to get her first phone, but when she starts getting weird messages and hears about Moonleapers, she starts to wonder what is ...
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Where Only Storms Grow by Alyssa Colman
By Janie Cheaney |
Where Only Storms Grow brings the “Dust Bowl” of the 1930s vividly to life, as a family struggles to hold on to hope. Where Only ...
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Books About Weather and Natural Disasters: A Redeemed Reader Booklist
By Betsy Farquhar |
Books about weather and natural disasters, and their related sub-topics like hurricanes, tornadoes, and giant floods, are hot picks for the elementary school crowd. Just ...
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The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke and Tammi Hartung
By Hayley Morell |
Caspia is not excited by an unexpected summer in New York City until she discovers letters that unlock a Green Kingdom in this middle grades ...
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The Story Of Martin Luther by Jared Kennedy
By Janie Cheaney |
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 ...
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The Story Of Katie Luther by Gretchen Ronnevik
By Janie Cheaney |
Katharina Luther receives her due as the industrious helpmeet of the world-changing reformer. The Story of Katie Luther: The Nun Who Escaped to Freedom by ...
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Gracias Thanks, by Pat Mora and illustrated by John Parra
By Betsy Farquhar |
Gracias Thanks is a cheerful, childlike celebration of giving thanks in all circumstances. Gracias Thanks, by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra. Lee & Low ...
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*The Song of the Stone Tiger by Glenn McCarty
By Betsy Farquhar |
Magical woods, fairy stories, music, and sacrificial friendship offer Thomas and a stone tiger hope as they walk through the valley of the shadow of ...
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Cicely Tyson by Renee Watson
By Hayley Morell |
Lyrical prose and vibrant collage illustrations introduce young readers to Cicely Tyson. Cicely Tyson by Renee Watson, illustrated by Sherry Shine. Amistad Books for Young ...
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To Walk the Sky by Patricia Morris Buckley
By Hayley Morell |
In To Walk the Sky, young readers learn how Iroquois men became steelworkers. To Walk the Sky: How Iroquois Steelworkers Helped Build Towering Cities by ...
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Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate
By Janie Cheaney |
Toys come to life in Pocket Bear, featuring a tough-talking cat and a World War I mascot. Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles ...
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*Wild Honey from the Moon by Kenneth Kraegel
By Hayley Morell |
Nothing will stop Mother Shrew’s quest to fetch wild honey from the moon for her sick son, Hugo. *Wild Honey from the Moon by Kenneth ...
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*The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents… by Ian Lendler
By Megan Saben |
The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents...graphic novels are clever and humorous adaptations of Shakespeare's Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. *The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents... ...
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I Love You From Fingertip to Fingertip by Elisabeth Blaker Brown
By Hayley Morell |
Told in a parent’s voice, a sweet, faith-filled picture book reminding a child “I love you from fingertip to fingertip.” I Love You From Fingertip ...
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The Outsider: Ruth: A Retelling by Katy Morgan
By Betsy Farquhar |
What was it like to be the outsider in Bethlehem? Katy Morgan explores the story of Ruth in this biblical fiction for middle grades. The ...
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Beyond the Far Horizon (Restorationists #3) by Carolyn Leiloglou
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Restorationists are back, and this time Ravi is constantly seeking what lies beyond the far horizon. Beyond the Far Horizon (Restorationists #3) by Carolyn ...
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Learning to Lead: Another Redeemed Reader Booklist! (Updated)
By Janie Cheaney |
In his Confessions, Augustine wrote this on the subject of "time": “I understand well enough what time is, so long as no one asks me.” ...
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*The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown
By Janie Cheaney |
The World Entire tells the little-known story of the Portuguese diplomat who rescued almost 30,000 refugees during World War II. *The World Entire: A True ...
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The World in your Lunch Box by Claire Eamer
By Betsy Farquhar |
Those foods you think are so ordinary have interesting origins. This is the world in your lunch box.... The World in your Lunch Box: The ...
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*Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park
By Hayley Morell |
Cheerful rhyming illustrations celebrate the making of Bee-bim Bop! *Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Ho Baek Lee. Clarion Books, 2008. 32 pages. ...
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How Do You Eat Color? by Mabi David (trans. Karen Llagas)
By Hayley Morell |
Two children wander through a day finding the answer to the question: how do you eat color? How Do You Eat Color? by Mabi David, ...
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*The Traveling Taco by Mia Wenjen
By Hayley Morell |
Young readers will learn more about the origins of their favorite foods in The Traveling Taco! *The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of ...
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The Bizarre Bazaar: Mirror Town by Daniel Nayeri
By Betsy Farquhar |
Abel makes a desperate gamble for love, but when he falls into Mirror Town, he gets more than he bargained on. The Bizarre Bazaar: Mirror ...
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*The Teacher of Nomad Land by Daniel Nayeri
By Betsy Farquhar |
Balak valiantly takes up his father's mantle to be the teacher of nomad land; along the way, he himself is taught much. *The Teacher of ...
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The Forest of a Thousand Eyes by Frances Hardinge
By Janie Cheaney |
The Forest of a Thousand Eye pictures a decaying community at the mercy of nature, and one girl plunged into a desperate situation. The Forest ...
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*Earl and Worm: The Bad Idea/The Big Mess by Greg Pizzoli
By Megan Saben |
Earl and Worm are neighbors with opposite personalities who sometimes agree and sometimes don't, but manage to accommodate their differences and develop a real friendship. ...
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*The Winter of the Dollhouse by Laura Amy Schlitz
By Janie Cheaney |
The Winter of the Dollhouse is a cozy story with fantasy elements addressing generational relationship, longing, loss, and reconciliation. *The Winter of the Dollhouse by ...
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*Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet
By Hayley Morell |
Young readers are invited by a narrator into Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon. *Three Tales of My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet, illustrated ...
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Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
By Betsy Farquhar |
How do you celebrate New Year's? Haitians celebrate by making freedom soup! Freedom Soup by Tami Charles, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. Candlewick, 2021. 32 pages. ...
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I’m Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book by Oliver Jeffers
By Betsy Farquhar |
Friends would never forget your birthday, would they? Even if they were very busy? I'm Very Busy: A (Nearly Forgotten) Birthday Book by Oliver Jeffers. ...
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*Putin vs. Zelensky: The Russo-Ukrainian War by Ben Thompson
By Janie Cheaney |
Putin vs. Zelensky focuses on biography to give readers a grasp of the fraught history between Russia and Ukraine, and how the current conflict developed. ...
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The Library of Curiosities by Jenny Lundquist
By Janie Cheaney |
In The Library of Curiosities, an orphaned girl discovers her heritage as the latest of a curiosity-collecting dynasty. The Library of Curiosities by Jenny Lundquist. ...
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Cranky, Crabby Crow (Saves the World) by Corey R. Tabor
By Megan Saben |
Tabor adds to his cast of animal characters a brave and clever crow with a secret and a mission in Cranky, Crabby Crow. Cranky, Crabby ...
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Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear by Trang Nguyen
By Hayley Morell |
A young Vietnamese wildlife conservationist sets out on a quest to help one special sun bear return to the rainforest in Saving Sorya, a vibrant ...
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*The Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull
By Hayley Morell |
Young readers are introduced to The Black Mambas: The World's First All Women Anti-poaching Unit. *The Black Mambas: The World's First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by ...
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*Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo
By Betsy Farquhar |
An emotionally-resonant cautionary tale about the allure of bright red fruit even when signs of danger lurk alongside. Note: this book contains sensitive topics, including ...
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*The Golden Necklace by Mitali Perkins
By Betsy Farquhar |
Sona is determined to find out who stole her friend's golden necklace in order to clear her brother of suspicion in this new mystery series ...
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*Library Lion by Michelle Knudson
By Megan Saben |
Library Lion is a worthy picture book not only about libraries, but also about loving your neighbor. *Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin ...
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It Is Okay by Ye Guo
By Hayley Morell |
Two unlikely friends discover It Is Okay to have both common interests and differences. It Is Okay by Ye Guo. Eerdmans, 2024. 40 pages. Reading ...
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Fly Like a Bird by Olga Ptashnik
By Betsy Farquhar |
A little chickadee wonders how to fly like a bird in this well-illustrated picture book from Spain. Fly Like a Bird by Olga Ptashnil. Eerdmans, ...
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Consider the Birds by Jennifer Grant
By Betsy Farquhar |
This gentle picture book invites young children to consider the birds … and then consider how much God cares for his people, too. Consider the ...
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An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann
By Betsy Farquhar |
In An American Immigrant, twenty-five year old Melanie makes a pilgrimage to Colombia and discovers more about both herself and her mother, who came to ...
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Our Friendly Farmhouse by Melissa Ferguson
By Hayley Morell |
Sweet illustrations and cheerful text introduce readers to our friendly farmhouse. Our Friendly Farmhouse by Melissa Ferguson, illustrated by Gretchen Ellen Powers. Tommy Nelson, 2025. ...
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*Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown by Xochitl Dixon
By Betsy Farquhar |
So much of God's creation is wonderfully, marvelously brown, including people! *Wonderfully, Marvelously Brown by Xochitl Dixon, illustrated by Sara Palacios. WaterBrook, 2024. 40 pages. ...
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What Color Is God’s Love? by Xochitl Dixon
By Betsy Farquhar |
God created this world to be full of color. Have you ever wondered what color is God's love? What Color Is God's Love? by Xochitl ...
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*Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel adapted by K. Woodman-Maynard
By Janie Cheaney |
Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel is an excellent visual presentation of a classic story. *Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel adapted and ...
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*Ribbit! The Truth About Frogs by Annette Whipple
By Megan Saben |
Ribbit! The Truth about Frogs is an engaging nonfiction picture book that answers lots of good questions and helps the reader admire these fascinating amphibians. ...
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*A Big Change Happened by Darby Strickland
By Betsy Farquhar |
A big change happened for Wallace, the whale, and his mama. It's scary, but God is with them. *A Big Change Happened by Darby Strickland, ...
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Hansel and Gretel: An Analysis
By Janie Cheaney |
TWO GIANTS OF THE PUBLISHING WORLD . . . One of the biggest buzz books of the fall publishing season is a retelling of Hansel ...
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The AI Incident by J. E. Thomas
By Janie Cheaney |
The AI Incident pits a foster kid longing for a home against a cold-hearted machine with its own plans. The AI Incident by J. E. ...
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Schoolbot 9000: A Graphic Novel by Sam Hepburn
By Janie Cheaney |
Schoolbot 9000 is the first volume of a graphic-novel series examining the effect of machine learning on education. Schoolbot 9000: A Graphic Novel by Sam ...
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*The Peddler and the President by Ann D. Koffsky
By Janie Cheaney |
Through the lens of a lifelong friendship, The Peddler and the President makes the fraught history of modern Israel accessible to chapter-book readers. *The Peddler ...
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*Kitten Red, Yellow, Blue by Peter Catalanotto
By Megan Saben |
Kitten Red, Yellow, Blue is a very fun picture book that plays with color while showing the activities of sixteen kittens who serve alongside their ...
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*The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans by Marty Machowski
By Betsy Farquhar |
Dive into the book of Romans with your kids using The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans. *The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of ...
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Little Mouse Saves the Day! by Jeff Smith
By Janie Cheaney |
The simple story and basic layout of Little Mouse Saves the Day helps very early readers learn to interpret graphic storytelling. Little Mouse Saves the ...
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The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall
By Janie Cheaney |
The Library of Unruly Treasures introduces readers to a race of tiny people with wings, and a human girl who may be their rescuer. The ...
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Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo
By Janie Cheaney |
Three 10-year-old girls cope with life’s ups and downs by learning to rely on each other, in a story with "magical" elements. Raymie Nightingale by ...
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The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
By Janie Cheaney |
The Penderwicks, first in a series, delightfully introduces readers to the four Penderwick sisters, their widowed father, and a hound named Hound. The Penderwicks: A ...
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*Peek-A-Boo! by Allan Ahlberg
By Hayley Morell |
Rhyming text invites young listeners into a game of peek-a-boo with a British baby boy in 1940s England. *Peek-A-Boo by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Janet ...
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*Rivers by Simon Chapman
By Janie Cheaney |
Rivers is a stunning picture-book exploration of Earth’s waterways. *Rivers: Culture, Civilization, and Commerce by Simon Chapman, illustrated by Qu Lan. Big Picture Press (Candlewick), ...
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*The Heart of Adventure (Mistmantle Chronicles)
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Mistmantle Chronicles is an action-packed and beautifully written series of five books that follow the adventures of Urchin, a young and brave red squirrel ...
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*Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry
By Hayley Morell |
In evocative, lyrical prose, Jackie Hill Perry shares her spiritual journey in Gay Girl, Good God. *Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I ...
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*The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Yan Glaser
By Janie Cheaney |
The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli takes readers on parallel quests through 8th-century China and New York’s Depression-Era Chinatown. *The Nine Moons of ...
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*The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Clover isn't supposed to play on the other side of the fence, but what about climbing to the top to meet a new friend? *The ...
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Snoop by Gordon Norman
By Janie Cheaney |
A recuperating boy learns more than he needs to know by becoming the neighborhood “snoop.” Snoop by Gordon Korman. Scholastic, 2025. 195 pages. Reading Level: ...
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*The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
By Megan Saben |
The Scarlet Pimpernel is an oft-overlooked classic full of mystery, action, and romance for teens and adults. *The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. Signet, 2000 (originally ...
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*Yellow and Pink by William Steig (Retro Reads)
By Megan Saben |
Yellow and Pink is a simple, thoughtful picture book about two marionettes who discuss whether they are the result of intelligent design or a series ...
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*I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy
By Megan Saben |
I Kissed the Baby! is a sweet board book perfect for those first few months. *I Kissed the Baby! by Mary Murphy. Candlewick, 2004. 24 ...
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Back Porch Book Chat with Becky Dean (YA author)
By Hayley Morell |
Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we're visiting with Becky Dean, author of four YA romances including Love and ...
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Picture-Perfect Boyfriend by Becky Dean
By Hayley Morell |
A family trip to Hawaii is complicated for Kenzie Reed by the arrival of her picture-perfect boyfriend—who is supposed to be fictitious! Picture-Perfect Boyfriend by ...
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The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin
By Hayley Morell |
While a series starter, The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine is a fun, contained, YA fantasy. The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin. Enclave ...
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The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose
By Janie Cheaney |
The Burning Season pits a 12-year-old girl against a fast-moving forest fire. The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025. 228 pages. ...
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Love Unmasked by Becky Dean
By Hayley Morell |
A fun YA romance about a trip to Venice that will end with Love Unmasked. Love Unmasked by Becky Dean. Delacorte Romance, 2025. 384 pages. ...
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The Friendship Train by Debbie Levy
By Janie Cheaney |
The Friendship Train is the heartwarming true story of Americans pitching in to relieve European hunger after World War II. The Friendship Train by Debbie ...
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Let Creation Rejoice by Jonathan A. Moo and Robert S. White
By Betsy Farquhar |
Engage with environmental concerns from a biblical perspective in Let Creation Rejoice. Let Creation Rejoice: Biblical Hope and Ecological Crisis by Jonathan A. Moo and ...
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*Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox
By Hayley Morell |
A cheerful rhyming celebration of babies around the world, each possessing Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. *Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes ...
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*A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker
By Hayley Morell |
Bear's solitary existence is disrupted by a visitor for bear. *A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick, 2012. 56 ...
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*The Redeemed Reader Book by the RR Team
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Redeemed Reader team wrote a book! It's about reading with your children and teens. But we couldn't exactly review our own book. What follows ...
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If Jesus Came to my School by April Graney
By Betsy Farquhar |
What if Jesus came to my school? What would be different? If Jesus Came to my School by April Graney, illustrated by Yana Kodak. Multnomah, ...
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Whale Eyes by James Robinson
By Janie Cheaney |
Whale Eyes is an innovative memoir by a young filmmaker documenting his struggles with reading and physical difference. Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and ...
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*Reading Between the Lines by Gene Edward Veith, Jr.
By Betsy Farquhar |
Don't understand literature? Reading Between the Lines is an excellent crash course in a Christian—and scholarly—understanding of literature. Reading Between the Lines: A Christian Guide ...
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The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Read-Aloud Handbook has been a gold standard in books about children's books for decades; we recommend older editions of this book. The Read-Aloud Handbook ...
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Books Children Love by Elizabeth Wilson
By Betsy Farquhar |
Books Children Love is a great resource: essentially a giant annotated booklist of great books for children. Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best ...
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The Magic Bicycle by John Bibee
By Megan Saben |
The Magic Bicycle is a story about a boy and his mysterious bicycle with spiritual parallels. The Magic Bicycle by John Bibee. John Bibee Books, ...
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The Tower of Geburah by John White
By Megan Saben |
The Tower of Geburah, the third book in the Archives of Anthropos, is a good introduction to a Christian fantasy series that will delight Narnia ...
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Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang
By Betsy Farquhar |
When you read a picture book, do you know how the pictures work? Can you "picture this"? Picture This: How Pictures Work, revised and expanded ...
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*Frog’s Rainy-Day Story and Other Fables by Michael James Dowling
By Janie Cheaney |
Frog’s Rainy Day Story is a collection of modern-day fables exposing contemporary follies in an amusing and discussion-worthy way. *Frog's Rainy-Day Story and Other Fables ...
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The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard
By Hayley Morell |
In The Keeper of Stories, lyrical prose and engaging mixed media illustrations tell the story of the 1966 fire in New York's Jewish Theological Seminary ...
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The Giver by Lois Lowry
By Betsy Farquhar |
The Giver examines deep and foundational questions through a dystopian framework. The Giver by Lois Lowry. Laurel-leaf. Reprint ed, 2002. 192 pgs. Reading Level: Middle grades, ...
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*Heckedy Peg by Audrey Wood
By Megan Saben |
Heckedy Peg is a picture book about a brave mother who loves her children and cleverly wins them back from evil clutches. *Heckedy Peg by ...
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*The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
By Betsy Farquhar |
In The King of Attolia, Gen must bring all his grit, cleverness, and convictions to bear as he works to earn the right to be ...
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