life issues Archives - Redeemed Reader https://redeemedreader.com/tag/life-issues/ Kids' Books. Culture. Christ. Tue, 11 Nov 2025 18:40:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://redeemedreader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-favicon-32x32.png life issues Archives - Redeemed Reader https://redeemedreader.com/tag/life-issues/ 32 32 The Picasso Curse by Dan Guzman https://redeemedreader.com/the-picasso-curse-by-dan-guzman/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-picasso-curse-by-dan-guzman/#respond Wed, 12 Nov 2025 06:40:03 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=45194 The Picasso Curse poses the question, What would you do if a million-dollar piece of artwork fell into your hands?

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-picasso-curse-by-dan-guzman/feed/ 0 Retro Reads: The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss https://redeemedreader.com/the-sneetches-and-other-stories-by-dr-seuss/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-sneetches-and-other-stories-by-dr-seuss/#respond Fri, 25 Jul 2025 10:00:00 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=16729 The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss is an excellent allegory about loving your neighbor, followed by other thought-provoing tales. The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss. Random House, 1961. 72 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, Ages 4-8Recommended For: Ages 4-8 Dr. Seuss wrote some excellent collections of short stories that offer brilliant…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-sneetches-and-other-stories-by-dr-seuss/feed/ 0 Newbery Buzz #1: Olivetti https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-1-olivetti/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-1-olivetti/#respond Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:53:36 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42253 Beginning our annual series of discussions on possible Newbery contenders.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-1-olivetti/feed/ 0 Swimming with Spies by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger https://redeemedreader.com/swimming-with-spies-by-chrystyna-lucyk-berger/ https://redeemedreader.com/swimming-with-spies-by-chrystyna-lucyk-berger/#respond Thu, 09 Jan 2025 14:17:54 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42235 Swimming with Spies is an animal rescue story that provides valuable background to the Russia/Ukraine conflict.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/swimming-with-spies-by-chrystyna-lucyk-berger/feed/ 0 Newbery Roundup #1: Hank Hooperman, Louder Than Hunger, and The Enigma Girls https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-roundup-1-hank-hooperman-louder-than-hunger-and-the-enigma-girls/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-roundup-1-hank-hooperman-louder-than-hunger-and-the-enigma-girls/#respond Tue, 07 Jan 2025 13:11:48 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42224 Beginning our annual coverage of possible contenders for the coveted Newbery Award.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-roundup-1-hank-hooperman-louder-than-hunger-and-the-enigma-girls/feed/ 0 Finding My Vocation by William Boekestein https://redeemedreader.com/finding-my-vocation-by-william-boekestein/ https://redeemedreader.com/finding-my-vocation-by-william-boekestein/#respond Tue, 27 Aug 2024 10:07:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41387 Finding My Vocation offers a concise yet comprehensive guide for Christian teens considering their first steps into adulthood.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/finding-my-vocation-by-william-boekestein/feed/ 0 School Trip by Jerry Craft https://redeemedreader.com/school-trip-by-jerry-craft/ https://redeemedreader.com/school-trip-by-jerry-craft/#respond Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:44:35 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=38267 School Trip, a companion novel to Newbery-winning New Kid, launches the Riverdale Academy students on a tour of Paris.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/school-trip-by-jerry-craft/feed/ 0 *The Most Perfect Thing in the Universe by Tricia Springstubb https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-perfect-thing-in-the-universe-by-tricia-springstubb/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-perfect-thing-in-the-universe-by-tricia-springstubb/#respond Tue, 27 Jul 2021 08:14:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31912 A shy, timid girl learns that "the most perfect thing in the universe" is right under her nose.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-perfect-thing-in-the-universe-by-tricia-springstubb/feed/ 0 The House that Wasn’t There by Elana K. Arnold https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-that-wasnt-there-by-elana-k-arnold/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-that-wasnt-there-by-elana-k-arnold/#comments Thu, 13 May 2021 11:21:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31251 In The House That Wasn't There, neighbors start off on the wrong foot, but soon discover a mysterious connection.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-that-wasnt-there-by-elana-k-arnold/feed/ 2 The Many Mysteries of the Finkel Family by Sarah Kepit https://redeemedreader.com/the-many-mysteries-of-the-finkel-family-by-sarah-kepit/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-many-mysteries-of-the-finkel-family-by-sarah-kepit/#respond Thu, 29 Apr 2021 11:04:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31212 The Finkels, a close-knit but complicated Jewish family, pose mysteries for the two middle sisters

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-many-mysteries-of-the-finkel-family-by-sarah-kepit/feed/ 0 *All He Knew by Helen Frost https://redeemedreader.com/all-he-knew-by-helen-frost/ https://redeemedreader.com/all-he-knew-by-helen-frost/#respond Fri, 19 Mar 2021 12:44:10 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30937 All He Knew pictures grace in the midst of gloom as a deaf child learns to navigate life in an institution

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/all-he-knew-by-helen-frost/feed/ 0 The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt https://redeemedreader.com/the-ambassador-of-nowhere-texas-by-kimberly-willis-holt/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-ambassador-of-nowhere-texas-by-kimberly-willis-holt/#respond Wed, 17 Mar 2021 14:05:59 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30916 "Nowhere Texas" is better known as Antler, the small town that Zachary Beaver visited in an earlier novel that bears his name.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-ambassador-of-nowhere-texas-by-kimberly-willis-holt/feed/ 0 Gone to the Woods by Gary Paulsen https://redeemedreader.com/gone-to-the-woods-by-gary-paulsen/ https://redeemedreader.com/gone-to-the-woods-by-gary-paulsen/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:33:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30677 Gone to the Woods, Gary Paulsen’s third-person memoir, is the recollection of a gritty early life leavened by common grace.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/gone-to-the-woods-by-gary-paulsen/feed/ 3 Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson https://redeemedreader.com/before-the-ever-after-by-jacqueline-woodson/ https://redeemedreader.com/before-the-ever-after-by-jacqueline-woodson/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:58:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29407 Jacqueline Woodson's poignant verse novel explores the cost of professional athletics to some families.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/before-the-ever-after-by-jacqueline-woodson/feed/ 0 The Runaways by Ulf Stark https://redeemedreader.com/the-runaways-by-ulf-stark/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-runaways-by-ulf-stark/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:14:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29412 A boy and his crotchety grandfather hatch an elaborate escape plan to enjoy one last day together.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-runaways-by-ulf-stark/feed/ 0 PB Roundup: Your Place in the Universe, If You Came to Earth, and I Talk Like a River https://redeemedreader.com/pb-roundup-your-place-in-the-universe-if-you-came-to-earth-and-i-talk-like-a-river/ https://redeemedreader.com/pb-roundup-your-place-in-the-universe-if-you-came-to-earth-and-i-talk-like-a-river/#respond Fri, 09 Oct 2020 19:14:14 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29338 Three critically-acclaimed picture books tackle big subjects like the size of the universe, the scope of humanity, and the power of words

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/pb-roundup-your-place-in-the-universe-if-you-came-to-earth-and-i-talk-like-a-river/feed/ 0 Raising Lumie by Joan Bauer https://redeemedreader.com/raising-lumie-by-joan-bauer/ https://redeemedreader.com/raising-lumie-by-joan-bauer/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2020 12:18:03 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29279 In Raising Lumie, a grieving girl gets a new family and a dog-owning dream fulfilled.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/raising-lumie-by-joan-bauer/feed/ 0 Wink by Rob Harrell https://redeemedreader.com/wink-by-rob-harrell/ https://redeemedreader.com/wink-by-rob-harrell/#respond Tue, 21 Jul 2020 12:36:14 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=28702 Wink, a highly-praised novel for middle-graders, offers a realistic yet engaging look at coping with cancer.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/wink-by-rob-harrell/feed/ 0 *Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker https://redeemedreader.com/here-in-the-real-world-by-sara-pennypacker/ https://redeemedreader.com/here-in-the-real-world-by-sara-pennypacker/#respond Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:47:51 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=27826 "The Real World" poses a creative challenge to a pair of enterprising middle-graders with conflicting motives.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/here-in-the-real-world-by-sara-pennypacker/feed/ 0 Sunnyside Plaza by Scott Simon https://redeemedreader.com/sunnyside-plaza-by-scott-simon/ https://redeemedreader.com/sunnyside-plaza-by-scott-simon/#respond Thu, 12 Mar 2020 11:10:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=27389 The mentally-challenged adults of Sunnyside Plaza step out of their comfort zone to solve a mystery.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/sunnyside-plaza-by-scott-simon/feed/ 0 Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams https://redeemedreader.com/genesis-begins-again-by-alicia-d-williams/ https://redeemedreader.com/genesis-begins-again-by-alicia-d-williams/#respond Thu, 06 Feb 2020 12:19:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=25900 Genesis, a black girl, struggles with self-image, much of which is fostered by her own family.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/genesis-begins-again-by-alicia-d-williams/feed/ 0 2020 Newbery Buzz #5: Look Both Ways https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-5-look-both-ways/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-5-look-both-ways/#respond Wed, 22 Jan 2020 12:27:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=25939 Janie and Betsy conclude our Newbery disccusion series with Look Both Ways, this year's title from prolific author Jason Reynolds.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-5-look-both-ways/feed/ 0 2020 Newbery Buzz #4: My Jasper June and Pay Attention, Carter Jones https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-my-jasper-june-and-pay-attention-carter-jones/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-my-jasper-june-and-pay-attention-carter-jones/#respond Tue, 21 Jan 2020 12:08:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=25935 Janie and Gina Dalfonzo discuss two more contenders for this year's Newbery Award

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-my-jasper-june-and-pay-attention-carter-jones/feed/ 0 White Bird by R. J. Palacio https://redeemedreader.com/white-bird-by-r-j-palacio/ https://redeemedreader.com/white-bird-by-r-j-palacio/#respond Wed, 30 Oct 2019 11:56:32 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25435 In White Bird, a graphic novel, the best-selling author of Wonder traces the holocaust history of a Wonder character's grandmother.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/white-bird-by-r-j-palacio/feed/ 0 Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson https://redeemedreader.com/some-places-more-than-others-by-renee-watson/ https://redeemedreader.com/some-places-more-than-others-by-renee-watson/#comments Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:34:08 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25289 In Some Places More than Others, a pre-teen girl tries to fill the gaps in her sense of place and family.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/some-places-more-than-others-by-renee-watson/feed/ 2 For Black Girls Like Me https://redeemedreader.com/for-black-girls-like-me/ https://redeemedreader.com/for-black-girls-like-me/#respond Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:11:58 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25294 A black girl adopted into a white family struggles with her own disability and her mother's instability.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/for-black-girls-like-me/feed/ 0 The Friendship War by Andrew Clements https://redeemedreader.com/the-friendship-war-by-andrew-clements/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-friendship-war-by-andrew-clements/#respond Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:58:59 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25258 The Friendship War puts a unique spin on a timeless theme for middle-grade fiction.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-friendship-war-by-andrew-clements/feed/ 0 Stay by Bobbie Pyron https://redeemedreader.com/stay-by-bobbie-pyron/ https://redeemedreader.com/stay-by-bobbie-pyron/#respond Tue, 10 Sep 2019 13:40:40 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25255 Stay, a heart-tugging dog story. also introduces young readers (in a limited way) to the plight of the homeless.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/stay-by-bobbie-pyron/feed/ 0 Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre https://redeemedreader.com/last-in-the-long-line-of-rebels-by-lisa-lewis-tyre/ https://redeemedreader.com/last-in-the-long-line-of-rebels-by-lisa-lewis-tyre/#respond Tue, 03 Sep 2019 12:26:17 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25234 In this light-hearted middle-grade novel, a southern "Rebel" digs into her heritage with surprising and enlightening results.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/last-in-the-long-line-of-rebels-by-lisa-lewis-tyre/feed/ 0 *Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner https://redeemedreader.com/super-jake-and-the-king-of-chaos-by-naomi-milliner/ https://redeemedreader.com/super-jake-and-the-king-of-chaos-by-naomi-milliner/#comments Fri, 09 Aug 2019 11:42:25 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25153 An aspiring magician discovers the real magic in "Super Jake," his special-needs little brother

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/super-jake-and-the-king-of-chaos-by-naomi-milliner/feed/ 1 Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai https://redeemedreader.com/pie-in-the-sky-by-remy-lai/ https://redeemedreader.com/pie-in-the-sky-by-remy-lai/#respond Tue, 23 Jul 2019 11:32:07 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25125 With humor and heart, Pie in the Sky explores the experience of a young Asian immigrant with much more than assimilation on his mind.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/pie-in-the-sky-by-remy-lai/feed/ 0 Quiet Family Dramas: Four Recent Middle-grade novels https://redeemedreader.com/quiet-family-dramas-four-recent-middle-grade-novels/ https://redeemedreader.com/quiet-family-dramas-four-recent-middle-grade-novels/#comments Fri, 21 Jun 2019 20:10:13 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=25039 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 fiction may be, its mainstay remains what it’s always been: the family.  Four recent novels by award-winning authors present families in the process of bereaving, breaking up, or re-forming, all…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/quiet-family-dramas-four-recent-middle-grade-novels/feed/ 3 Caterpillar Summer by Gullian McDunn https://redeemedreader.com/caterpillar-summer-by-gullian-mcdunn/ https://redeemedreader.com/caterpillar-summer-by-gullian-mcdunn/#respond Fri, 26 Apr 2019 13:37:18 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24866 Biracial siblings connect with their estranged grandparents in Caterpillar Summer.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/caterpillar-summer-by-gullian-mcdunn/feed/ 0 Because of the Rabbit by Cynthia Lord https://redeemedreader.com/because-of-the-rabbit-by-cynthia-lord/ https://redeemedreader.com/because-of-the-rabbit-by-cynthia-lord/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2019 15:31:14 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24867 Home-schooled Emma learns a lot about classrooms and friendship "Because of the Rabbit."

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/because-of-the-rabbit-by-cynthia-lord/feed/ 1 Beast Rider by Tony Johnson https://redeemedreader.com/beast-rider-by-tony-johnson/ https://redeemedreader.com/beast-rider-by-tony-johnson/#respond Mon, 22 Apr 2019 21:01:47 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24868 Beast Rider offers a sympathetic take on the immigration issue through the experience of one Mexican boy.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/beast-rider-by-tony-johnson/feed/ 0 Eventown by Corey Ann Haydn https://redeemedreader.com/eventown-by-corey-ann-haydn/ https://redeemedreader.com/eventown-by-corey-ann-haydn/#comments Fri, 12 Apr 2019 19:38:57 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24804 Eventown is a place of forgetting, but how much forgetting does that take before you forget yourself?

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/eventown-by-corey-ann-haydn/feed/ 1 *Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins https://redeemedreader.com/forward-me-back-to-you-by-mitali-perkins/ https://redeemedreader.com/forward-me-back-to-you-by-mitali-perkins/#respond Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:34:33 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24797 Mitali Perkins' latest novel takes two conflicted teens to India to confront human trafficking and challenges to their Christian faith.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/forward-me-back-to-you-by-mitali-perkins/feed/ 0 Christians and Mental Illness: an Interview with Simonetta Carr https://redeemedreader.com/christians-and-mental-illness-an-interview-with-simonetta-carr/ https://redeemedreader.com/christians-and-mental-illness-an-interview-with-simonetta-carr/#comments Wed, 20 Feb 2019 12:41:55 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24362 The author of Broken Pieces and the God Who Mends them shares further insights about her experience with schizophrenia.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/christians-and-mental-illness-an-interview-with-simonetta-carr/feed/ 1 Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh https://redeemedreader.com/nowhere-boy-by-katherine-marsh/ https://redeemedreader.com/nowhere-boy-by-katherine-marsh/#respond Tue, 05 Feb 2019 13:47:04 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=24190 A teenage Syrian refugee is the “Nowhere Boy” whose fate falls into the hands of an American 13-year-old.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/nowhere-boy-by-katherine-marsh/feed/ 0 *Inkling by Kenneth Oppel https://redeemedreader.com/inkling-by-kenneth-oppel/ https://redeemedreader.com/inkling-by-kenneth-oppel/#respond Tue, 18 Dec 2018 12:47:33 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23350 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, 2018, 239 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for:  ages 10-14 (ages 8-15 as a read-aloud) Nobody knows how it happened, because only the cat saw it.  Wind…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/inkling-by-kenneth-oppel/feed/ 0 *Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley https://redeemedreader.com/wicked-nix-by-lena-coakley/ https://redeemedreader.com/wicked-nix-by-lena-coakley/#respond Tue, 04 Dec 2018 12:04:29 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23338 Wicked Nix, “foulest of the fairies,” encounters a magic that resists all the standard fairy spells: the power of human love. *Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, illustrated by Jaime Zollars.  Amulet, 2018, 163 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 5-10 as a read-aloud, 7-12 for independent readers A terrible thing has…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/wicked-nix-by-lena-coakley/feed/ 0 Good News for Little Hearts: A New Christian Picture Book Series https://redeemedreader.com/good-news-for-little-hearts-a-new-christian-picture-book-series/ https://redeemedreader.com/good-news-for-little-hearts-a-new-christian-picture-book-series/#comments Tue, 20 Nov 2018 13:42:07 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23285 Three new picture books in the Good News for Little Hearts series help us coach children through difficulties and point them to Christ. Zoe’s Hiding Place: When You Are Anxious (Good News for Little Hearts) edited by David Powlison and illustrated by Joe Hox. New Growth Press, 2018. 32 pages. Jax’s Tail Twitches: When You Are…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/good-news-for-little-hearts-a-new-christian-picture-book-series/feed/ 2 Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo https://redeemedreader.com/louisianas-way-home-by-kate-dicamillo/ https://redeemedreader.com/louisianas-way-home-by-kate-dicamillo/#respond Thu, 08 Nov 2018 12:24:38 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23211 In this sequel to an earlier book, Louisiana Elephante, all of ten years old, finds herself abandoned in a small Georgia town.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/louisianas-way-home-by-kate-dicamillo/feed/ 0 The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller https://redeemedreader.com/the-science-of-breakable-things-by-tae-keller/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-science-of-breakable-things-by-tae-keller/#respond Tue, 23 Oct 2018 02:46:49 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23097 Natalie is desperate to win an egg drop contest so she can use the prize money to help cure her mom’s depression in this sweet middle grades novel. The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller. Random House, 2018. 304 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended For: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Step 1: Observe…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-science-of-breakable-things-by-tae-keller/feed/ 0 Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed https://redeemedreader.com/amal-unbound-by-alisha-saeed/ https://redeemedreader.com/amal-unbound-by-alisha-saeed/#respond Wed, 03 Oct 2018 11:50:52 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23057 Amal, a Pakistani girl with dreams of an education, finds her dreams derailed in this engaging story for middle graders. Amal Unbound by Alisha Saeed.  Penguin (Nancy Paulsen), 2018, 226 pages Reading Level: middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Maybe, if Amal’s mother had given birth to a boy instead of a fifth…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/amal-unbound-by-alisha-saeed/feed/ 0 The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie https://redeemedreader.com/the-unforgettable-guinevere-st-clair-by-amy-makechnie/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-unforgettable-guinevere-st-clair-by-amy-makechnie/#comments Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:36:07 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22972 A girl struggles to reconcile her needs with her mother’s severe mental illness, in this winsome story with some unforgettable characters. Ages 10-15 The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie.  Athenaeum, 2018, 322 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 “My father said that some people were harder to love,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-unforgettable-guinevere-st-clair-by-amy-makechnie/feed/ 1 A Stitch in Time by Dalphne Kalmer https://redeemedreader.com/a-stitch-in-time-by-dalphne-kalmer/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-stitch-in-time-by-dalphne-kalmer/#respond Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:23:49 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22970 A Stitch in time, a quiet story about death, grieving, and change, takes place in the Vermont countryside of 1920.  Ages 10-15 A Stitch in Time by Daphne Kalmer.  Feiwel & Friends, 2018, 167 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 It was only two weeks ago that her father was…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-stitch-in-time-by-dalphne-kalmer/feed/ 0 *The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser https://redeemedreader.com/the-vanderbeekers-and-the-hidden-garden-by-karina-van-glaser/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-vanderbeekers-and-the-hidden-garden-by-karina-van-glaser/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2018 10:09:28 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22944 The five Vanderbeeker children are back, with irrepressible high spirits, good intentions and miscalculations intact. *The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden by Karina van Glaser.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018, 322 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-14 It’s mid-summer, six months after their introductory adventure, and the five Vanderbeeker kids are…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-vanderbeekers-and-the-hidden-garden-by-karina-van-glaser/feed/ 6 Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck https://redeemedreader.com/boy-bites-bug-by-rebecca-petruck/ https://redeemedreader.com/boy-bites-bug-by-rebecca-petruck/#respond Thu, 16 Aug 2018 11:12:51 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22927 In Boy Bites Bug, a single incident develops into a school-wide situation and an insightful look at fading friendship.  Ages 10-15 Boy Bites Bug by Rebecca Petruck.  Amulet, 2018, 250 pages (plus recipes) Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Who could have thought an absurd incident would blow up to such…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/boy-bites-bug-by-rebecca-petruck/feed/ 0 Back to School with Babymouse and Og the Frog https://redeemedreader.com/back-to-school-with-babymouse-and-og-the-frog/ https://redeemedreader.com/back-to-school-with-babymouse-and-og-the-frog/#respond Thu, 16 Aug 2018 11:07:30 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22928 Two back-to-school series for different ages tickle the funny bone, satirize social conventions, and even stimulate sympathy for others.  Ages 6-12 Life According to Og the Frog by Getty G. Birney.  Putnam, 2018, 160 pages. Reading Level: Chapter Book, ages 7-9 Recommended for: ages 6-10 Og was enjoying life in the marsh (Think. Float. Doze.…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/back-to-school-with-babymouse-and-og-the-frog/feed/ 0 *The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi https://redeemedreader.com/the-sky-at-our-feet-by-nadia-hashimi/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-sky-at-our-feet-by-nadia-hashimi/#respond Fri, 27 Jul 2018 11:26:23 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22867 The Sky at Our Feet treats the immigration issue fairly and compassionately, through the perspective of an Afghan-American boy on the run.  Ages 10-15 *The Sky at Our Feet by Nadia Hashimi.  Harper, 2018, 291 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Even though his mother calls him by his Afghan…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-sky-at-our-feet-by-nadia-hashimi/feed/ 0 The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss https://redeemedreader.com/the-adventures-of-a-girl-called-bicycle-by-christina-uss/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-adventures-of-a-girl-called-bicycle-by-christina-uss/#respond Fri, 20 Jul 2018 11:54:46 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22856 A ‘girl called Bicycle’s” improbable adventures during a cross-country bike trip shape the narrative of this fictional exploration of luck.  Ages 10-14 The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss.  Holiday House, 2018, 303 pages Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-13 The girl is called Bicycle because, when she…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-adventures-of-a-girl-called-bicycle-by-christina-uss/feed/ 0 The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty https://redeemedreader.com/the-miscalculations-of-lightning-girl-by-stacy-mcanulty/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-miscalculations-of-lightning-girl-by-stacy-mcanulty/#respond Mon, 11 Jun 2018 15:06:53 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22774 A lightning strike turns a 13-year-old girl into a math genius, but she has a lot to learn about human relationships and living in the real world.  Ages 12-15 The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty.  Random House, 2018, 287 pages. Reading Level:, Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 Nana + Uncle…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-miscalculations-of-lightning-girl-by-stacy-mcanulty/feed/ 0 The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet https://redeemedreader.com/the-orphan-band-of-springdale-by-anne-nesbet/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-orphan-band-of-springdale-by-anne-nesbet/#respond Fri, 08 Jun 2018 10:00:43 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22768 Three “orphans” find their place in their community through music, forgiveness, and doing the right thing. Ages 10-15 The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet.  Candlewick, 2018, 435 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Augusta Newbronner was not especially surprised when her father had to disappear on the train…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-orphan-band-of-springdale-by-anne-nesbet/feed/ 0 *Sunny by Jason Reynolds https://redeemedreader.com/sunny-by-jason-reynolds/ https://redeemedreader.com/sunny-by-jason-reynolds/#respond Tue, 05 Jun 2018 10:25:13 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22766 Sunny takes us into the interior life of a track runner who doesn’t want to run–so how can he stay on the team?  Ages 10-14 *Sunny by Jason Reynolds (Defenders Track Team #3).  Atheneum, 2018, 159 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Sunny Lancaster is “Master of the Mile.”  When…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/sunny-by-jason-reynolds/feed/ 0 Survivor Diaries by Terry Lynn Johnson https://redeemedreader.com/survivor-diaries-terry-lynn-johnson/ https://redeemedreader.com/survivor-diaries-terry-lynn-johnson/#respond Tue, 06 Mar 2018 11:07:38 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22509 The Survivor Diaries series present 10-and-11 year olds in life-threatening situations, who find the courage to persevere and . . . survive! Ages 7-11 Survivor Diaries: Overboard! and Avalanche! by Terry Lynn Johnson.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017, about 100 pages. Reading Level: Chapter books, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 7-11 Each book in this series begins…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/survivor-diaries-terry-lynn-johnson/feed/ 0 Family Game Night by Mary E. Lambert https://redeemedreader.com/family-game-night-mary-e-lambert/ https://redeemedreader.com/family-game-night-mary-e-lambert/#respond Tue, 06 Feb 2018 12:31:10 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22447 A trio of siblings and their detached father come to the breaking point with their mother’s hoarding habit. Family Game Night and Other Catastrophes by Mary E. Lambert.  Scholastic, 2017, 245 pages Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: 10-14 When her little sister Leslie is almost killed by a stack of newspapers, Annabelle…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/family-game-night-mary-e-lambert/feed/ 0 Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan https://redeemedreader.com/bronze-and-sunflower-by-cao-wenxuan/ https://redeemedreader.com/bronze-and-sunflower-by-cao-wenxuan/#respond Mon, 22 Jan 2018 01:02:24 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22377 Bronze and Sunflower is a gentle, thought-provoking peek into the cultural revolution in China, its effects on two children, and the importance of sacrificing for your family. Ages 8-10 Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan and translated from the Chinese by Helen Wang. Illustrations by Meilo So. Candlewick, 2017. 400 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bronze-and-sunflower-by-cao-wenxuan/feed/ 0 Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel https://redeemedreader.com/caleb-kit-beth-vrabel/ https://redeemedreader.com/caleb-kit-beth-vrabel/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2017 12:51:11 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22291 Caleb and Kit brings together a boy struggling with Cystic Fibrosis and a girl over-compensating for a neglectful parent. Caleb and Kit by Beth Vrabel.  RP Kids, 2017, 254 pages Reading level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Caleb was just out for a walk in the woods the day he met Kit. …

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/caleb-kit-beth-vrabel/feed/ 0 The Trail by Meika Hashimoto https://redeemedreader.com/the-trail-by-meika-hashimoto/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-trail-by-meika-hashimoto/#respond Tue, 07 Nov 2017 13:36:02 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22219 A boy takes to the Appalachian Trail to ease a guilty conscience, in this adventure novel for middle grades The Trail by Meika Hashimoto.  Scholastic, 2017, 229 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 Toby and Lucas had a list of ten things they were going to do before graduating middle…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-trail-by-meika-hashimoto/feed/ 0 Slider by Pete Hautman https://redeemedreader.com/slider-by-pete-hautman/ https://redeemedreader.com/slider-by-pete-hautman/#respond Tue, 31 Oct 2017 12:23:09 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22217 Slider uses the world of competitive eating as a context for exploring the agony and ecstasy of family relationships. Slider, by Pete Hautman.  Candlewick, 2017, 275 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 Everybody is good at something, and David Alan Miller is a competitive eater.  He knows all about it:…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/slider-by-pete-hautman/feed/ 0 Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes https://redeemedreader.com/garveys-choice-nikki-grimes/ https://redeemedreader.com/garveys-choice-nikki-grimes/#respond Thu, 05 Oct 2017 12:00:44 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22135 Garvey’s Choice, a gentle verse novel, charts the course of an overweight African American preteen toward self-respect. Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes.  Wordsong, 2016, 105 pages Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12 Garvey loves reading, sci-fi, music, and StarTrek.  His dad loves sports (especially football) and can’t hide his disappointment that…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/garveys-choice-nikki-grimes/feed/ 0 Refugee by Alan Gratz https://redeemedreader.com/refugee-alan-gratz/ https://redeemedreader.com/refugee-alan-gratz/#respond Thu, 21 Sep 2017 12:19:33 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22126 Refugee weaves the stories of three children fleeing intolerable situations in their home countries, from 1939 to the present. Refugee by Alan Gratz.  Scholastic, 2017, 317 pages Reading level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 Berlin, 1939: Josef Landau’s father continued to give legal advice after he was forbidden, as a Jew, to…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/refugee-alan-gratz/feed/ 0 Dragon Seed by Marty Machowski https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-seed-marty-machowski/ https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-seed-marty-machowski/#respond Wed, 23 Aug 2017 12:21:15 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22037 Dragon Seed by Marty Machowsky. New Grorwth Press, 2017, 179 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Nick is furious. He’s been furious a lot lately, and one big reason is cancer taking his father. Why did God have to let Dad die? And why does his sister Martha have to…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-seed-marty-machowski/feed/ 0 Joplin, Wishing by Diane Stanley https://redeemedreader.com/joplin-wishing-diane-stanley/ https://redeemedreader.com/joplin-wishing-diane-stanley/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2017 12:22:35 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22039 An 11-year-old girl discovers some truths about herself and her family in this novel with a touch of magic and mystery. Joplin, Wishing by Diane Stanley.  HarperCollins, 2017, 249 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 Joplin’s grandfather, Martin J. Camrath, was a reclusive novelist with such a powerful mystique (think…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/joplin-wishing-diane-stanley/feed/ 1 Superstar by Mandy Davis https://redeemedreader.com/superstar-mandy-davis/ https://redeemedreader.com/superstar-mandy-davis/#respond Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:41:52 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=21985 This sympathetic portrait of an autistic youngster explores relationships, coping strategies, and the scientific method. Superstar by Mandy Davis.  HarperCollins, 2017, 320 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12 Lester Musselbaum used to live in Florida but now he’s in Indiana.  He used to have a father who was a real…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/superstar-mandy-davis/feed/ 0 The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge https://redeemedreader.com/many-worlds-albie-bright-christopher-edge/ https://redeemedreader.com/many-worlds-albie-bright-christopher-edge/#respond Tue, 15 Aug 2017 12:00:09 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=22014 This middle-grade science fiction novel includes enough human interest to make it engaging, enough real science to make it educational. The Many Worlds of Albie Bright by Christopher Edge.  Delacorte, 2017, 162 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for : ages 10-14 Albert Steven Bright, named for his parents’ favorite scientists (Einstein and…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/many-worlds-albie-bright-christopher-edge/feed/ 0 Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham https://redeemedreader.com/real-friends-shannon-hale-le/ https://redeemedreader.com/real-friends-shannon-hale-le/#respond Fri, 16 Jun 2017 17:19:05 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=21916 Newbery-honor author Shannon Hale’s graphic memoir charts the ups and downs of elementary- age friendship. Real Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham.  First Second, 2017, 211 pages Reading level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12, especially girls Shannon Hale grew up in the middle of a church-going family, in a peaceful middle-class…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/real-friends-shannon-hale-le/feed/ 0 Beyond the Bright Sea https://redeemedreader.com/beyond-bright-sea/ https://redeemedreader.com/beyond-bright-sea/#comments Thu, 01 Jun 2017 16:00:06 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=21887 An isolated girl, raised by an adoptive father on a remote island, uncovers clues to her origins while learning more about the world and herself. Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk.  Dutton, 2017, 283 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-14 The baby was tied into a skiff that washed…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/beyond-bright-sea/feed/ 1 Storm Horse by Nick Garlick https://redeemedreader.com/storm-horse-nick-garlick/ https://redeemedreader.com/storm-horse-nick-garlick/#respond Fri, 12 May 2017 09:48:46 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=21833 Storm Horse pits a boy and a horse against a greedy land developer in the modern-day Netherlands. Storm Horse by Nick Garlick.  Scholastic, 2017, 242 pages Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-12, especially boys A tiny, remote island off the coast of the Netherlands is the last place Flip thought he…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/storm-horse-nick-garlick/feed/ 0 The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill https://redeemedreader.com/the-girl-who-drank-the-moon-by-kelly-barnhill/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-girl-who-drank-the-moon-by-kelly-barnhill/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2017 13:54:05 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=21478 The Girl Who Drank the Moon is thoughtful fantasy with imaginative twists that mature readers will enjoy parsing out. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill.  Algonquin, 2016, 386 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 12-15 In the Protectorate, a council of elders makes the rules and an order…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-girl-who-drank-the-moon-by-kelly-barnhill/feed/ 2 Who’s Your Daddy? https://redeemedreader.com/whos-your-daddy-2/ https://redeemedreader.com/whos-your-daddy-2/#comments Wed, 16 Mar 2016 12:00:37 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=17052 Of all the charges hurled against Christianity in the modern age, one of the most potent is “paternalistic.”  Christianity, it’s said, has kept women in the kitchen and society in the dark ages; I recall listening to a radio program long ago in which a caller insisted that the whole point of the faith was…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/whos-your-daddy-2/feed/ 7 Newbery Buzz: The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-the-thing-about-jellyfish-by-ali-benjamin/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-the-thing-about-jellyfish-by-ali-benjamin/#respond Sat, 19 Dec 2015 17:15:04 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=16787 Betsy and Janie are continuing their discussion of possible 2016 Newbery Award winners.  On deck today is a novel  by a debut author which has already been honored as a National Book Award finalist. Janie: I heard someone mention lately that most of the children’s books getting the rave reviews this year seem to be…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-the-thing-about-jellyfish-by-ali-benjamin/feed/ 0 Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley https://redeemedreader.com/boats-for-papa-by-jessixa-bagley/ https://redeemedreader.com/boats-for-papa-by-jessixa-bagley/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2015 13:08:57 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=16245 Boats for Papa by Jessixa Bagley. Roaring Brook Press, 2015. 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8 Recommended For: Ages 4-8 Buckley, a young beaver, lives with his mother by the sea. While he loves everything about the sea, his favorite thing to do is to make boats: “big boats, small boats, long boats,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/boats-for-papa-by-jessixa-bagley/feed/ 0 A+ Attitude (Morgan Love Series) by Stephanie Perry Moore https://redeemedreader.com/a-attitude-morgan-love-series-by-stephanie-perry-moore/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-attitude-morgan-love-series-by-stephanie-perry-moore/#respond Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:49:02 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=16083 A+ Attitude (Morgan Love Series #1) by Stephanie Perry Moore. Lift Every Voice Books (a Moody Imprint), 2011. 144 pages. Reading Level: Chapter Books, ages 6-10 Recommended For: Ages 6-10, especially girls Bottom Line: A Christian realistic fiction series about a young African American girl wrestling with family dynamics, a new school, and a bad…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-attitude-morgan-love-series-by-stephanie-perry-moore/feed/ 0 Making the Team by Stephanie Perry Moore and Derrick Moore https://redeemedreader.com/d-making-the-team-by-stephanie-perry-moore-and-derrick-moore/ https://redeemedreader.com/d-making-the-team-by-stephanie-perry-moore-and-derrick-moore/#respond Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:24:36 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=16069 Making the Team by Stephanie Perry Moore and Derrick Moore. Alec London Series. Lift Every Voice Books (a Moody Imprint), 2011. 160 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-12 Recommended For: Ages 8-10, especially boys Bottom Line: Alec London learns to trust God in the midst of parent issues, friend issues, and sibling issues in this realistic…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/d-making-the-team-by-stephanie-perry-moore-and-derrick-moore/feed/ 0 Silent Star by Bill Wise, illustrated by Adam Gustavson https://redeemedreader.com/d-silent-star-by-bill-wise-and-illustrated-by-adam-gustavson/ https://redeemedreader.com/d-silent-star-by-bill-wise-and-illustrated-by-adam-gustavson/#respond Thu, 30 Apr 2015 20:22:06 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=15370 Silent Star: The Story of Deaf Major Leaguer William Hoy by Bill Wise, illustrated by Adam Gustavson. Lee and Low, 2012. 40 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 8-10 Recommended for: Ages 8-10 Baseball games are full of distinctive sounds: the crack as the ball and bat make contact, the roar of the crowd, the umpire’s…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/d-silent-star-by-bill-wise-and-illustrated-by-adam-gustavson/feed/ 0 The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall https://redeemedreader.com/the-penderwicks-at-point-mouette-by-jeanne-birdsall/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-penderwicks-at-point-mouette-by-jeanne-birdsall/#respond Tue, 17 Mar 2015 13:19:35 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14809 While Rosalind and the Penderwick parents are off on their own adventures, the remaining Penderwicks head to Point Mouette on the Maine coast for a very eventful summer vacation.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-penderwicks-at-point-mouette-by-jeanne-birdsall/feed/ 0 How Long, O Lord? When Bibliotherapy Isn’t Enough https://redeemedreader.com/how-long-o-lord-when-bibliotherapy-isnt-enough/ https://redeemedreader.com/how-long-o-lord-when-bibliotherapy-isnt-enough/#comments Sat, 21 Feb 2015 20:00:38 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14532 These are dark days. I received an email this week expressing familiar anguish over the haunting reports of 21 followers of Christ who were martyred by ISIS. “I am so grieved by the reports I hear, and I’ve had a hard time explaining to my children (without freaking them out) why we need to pray.…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/how-long-o-lord-when-bibliotherapy-isnt-enough/feed/ 7 *Mockingbird by Allan Ahlberg https://redeemedreader.com/mockingbird-by-allan-ahlberg/ https://redeemedreader.com/mockingbird-by-allan-ahlberg/#respond Sat, 21 Feb 2015 14:00:23 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14493 Mockingbird by Allan Ahlberg, illustrated by Paul Howard. Candlewick Press, 1998. 24 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-4 Recommended for: ages 0-4 Bottom Line:  Young children will love Ahlberg’s sweet version of this classic lullaby. Hush little baby, don’t say a word…  How many times have we sung this?  Yet after the first verse, isn’t it hard to…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/mockingbird-by-allan-ahlberg/feed/ 0 Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood https://redeemedreader.com/bad-bye-good-bye-by-deborah-underwood/ https://redeemedreader.com/bad-bye-good-bye-by-deborah-underwood/#respond Mon, 02 Feb 2015 14:00:48 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14171 Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Jonathan Bean. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 0-8Recommended for: All ages Moving, even across the street, is always a major transition. When a family moves to a new city (or state), the transition is magnified. Young children have…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bad-bye-good-bye-by-deborah-underwood/feed/ 0 The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm https://redeemedreader.com/the-fourteenth-goldfish-by-jennifer-l-holm/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-fourteenth-goldfish-by-jennifer-l-holm/#respond Thu, 22 Jan 2015 22:00:58 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=13230 The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm. Random House, 2014. 208 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: Ages 10-12 Bottom Line: A quirky, fun, “science-y” middle grades read about the meaning and importance of life; the stars of the show are 11-year-old Ellie and her grandfather who just happens to be transformed…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-fourteenth-goldfish-by-jennifer-l-holm/feed/ 0 The Beatitudes by Carole Boston Weatherford https://redeemedreader.com/the-beatitudes-from-slavery-to-civil-rights-by-carole-boston-weatherford-and-illustrated-by-tim-ladwig/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-beatitudes-from-slavery-to-civil-rights-by-carole-boston-weatherford-and-illustrated-by-tim-ladwig/#respond Mon, 19 Jan 2015 17:08:47 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14078 The Beatitudes: From Slavery to Civil Rights by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Tim Ladwig. Eerdmans, 2009. 36 pages. Reading Level: Picture Books, ages 4-8Recommended for: All ages The idea of putting the familiar lines of the beatitudes to the African American struggle for civil rights is a worthy one. How many times have those verses…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-beatitudes-from-slavery-to-civil-rights-by-carole-boston-weatherford-and-illustrated-by-tim-ladwig/feed/ 0 Beautiful Moon: A Child’s Prayer by Tonya Bolden https://redeemedreader.com/beautiful-moon-by-tonya-bolden-and-illustrated-by-eric-velasquez/ https://redeemedreader.com/beautiful-moon-by-tonya-bolden-and-illustrated-by-eric-velasquez/#comments Mon, 19 Jan 2015 15:00:29 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14075 A beautiful picture book on one boy's prayer illustrated by award-winning illustrator Eric Velasquez.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/beautiful-moon-by-tonya-bolden-and-illustrated-by-eric-velasquez/feed/ 1 Greenglass House by Kate Milford https://redeemedreader.com/greenglass-house-by-kate-milford/ https://redeemedreader.com/greenglass-house-by-kate-milford/#comments Mon, 08 Sep 2014 12:23:47 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=12360 Greenglass House by Kate Milford. Clarion, 2014, 384 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades (ages 10-12) Recommended for: Ages 10 and up The Greenglass House is an old inn set on a remote cliff near a smuggler’s cove and is run by Milo (an adopted boy of Asian heritage) and his parents. And in Greenglass House,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/greenglass-house-by-kate-milford/feed/ 3 *The House of Arden by E. Nesbit https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-of-arden-by-e-nesbit/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-of-arden-by-e-nesbit/#respond Tue, 15 Jul 2014 02:24:19 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=15189 The House of Arden by E. Nesbit.  NYR Children’s Collection, 2006 reprint.  260 pages.    Reading Level:  Middle Grades, ages 8 – 10  Bottom Line:  Two children,  a surprise inheritance, a missing father, and a mouldiwarp are all parts of this time-travel adventure by classic British author, E. Nesbit. Step back in time to another time, a…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-house-of-arden-by-e-nesbit/feed/ 0 *Tommysaurus Rex by Doug TenNapel https://redeemedreader.com/bullies-and-buddies-two-acclaimed-novels/ https://redeemedreader.com/bullies-and-buddies-two-acclaimed-novels/#comments Tue, 11 Feb 2014 16:51:21 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=10904 Tommysaurus Rex by Doug TenNapel.  Scholastic (Graphix), ask 2013.  238 pages.  Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Maturity Level: 3 (ages 8-10) and up Bottom line: This graphic novel’s humor and lively drawing style are made-to-order for middle-grade boys, but it also deals thoughtfully with important themes.  Ely’s best friend is a dog, which seems…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bullies-and-buddies-two-acclaimed-novels/feed/ 2 *Little Britches by Ralph Moody https://redeemedreader.com/little-britches/ https://redeemedreader.com/little-britches/#comments Thu, 05 Sep 2013 13:00:50 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=9733 *Little Britches: Father and I Were Ranchers by Ralph Moody. Bison Books, 1991. 260 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10, ages 10-12 and upRecommended for: especially boys Bottom Line: A prime example of quality writing in an adventure story that is built on the relationship between a boy and his father. It is full…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/little-britches/feed/ 8 White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan https://redeemedreader.com/white-fur-flying-by-patricia-maclachlan/ https://redeemedreader.com/white-fur-flying-by-patricia-maclachlan/#respond Fri, 12 Jul 2013 01:51:54 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=14688 A gentle chapter book that explores family emotional issues with a big dose of furry love on the side. White Fur Flying by Patricia MacLachlan. Margaret K. McElderry, 2013. 128 pages.  Reading Level: Chapter Books, ages 8-10 Recommended For: Ages 7 and up, as a read aloud or independent read MacLachlan is such a gifted…

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