Hayley Morell, Author at Redeemed Reader https://redeemedreader.com/author/hayley/ Kids' Books. Culture. Christ. Tue, 18 Nov 2025 16:25:34 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://redeemedreader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/cropped-favicon-32x32.png Hayley Morell, Author at Redeemed Reader https://redeemedreader.com/author/hayley/ 32 32 The Perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh by Claudia Gray https://redeemedreader.com/the-perils-of-lady-catherine-de-bourgh-by-claudia-gray/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-perils-of-lady-catherine-de-bourgh-by-claudia-gray/#respond Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:41:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=45011 Mr. Jonathan Darcy and Miss Juliet Tilney once again join forces, this time facing the perils of Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-perils-of-lady-catherine-de-bourgh-by-claudia-gray/feed/ 0 The Rushworth Family Plot by Claudia Gray https://redeemedreader.com/the-rushworth-family-plot-by-claudia-gray/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-rushworth-family-plot-by-claudia-gray/#respond Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:56:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=45016 In the latest Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mystery, the characters of Mansfield Park are catapulted into the Rushworth Family Plot

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-rushworth-family-plot-by-claudia-gray/feed/ 0 The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein by John Greco https://redeemedreader.com/the-unlikely-intrusion-of-adams-klein-by-john-greco/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-unlikely-intrusion-of-adams-klein-by-john-greco/#respond Tue, 11 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=45199 Time travel and small town America collide in The Unlikely Intrusion of Adams Klein, an action-packed series starter to the TimeFall Trilogy.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-unlikely-intrusion-of-adams-klein-by-john-greco/feed/ 0 The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke and Tammi Hartung https://redeemedreader.com/the-green-kingdom-by-cornelia-funke-and-tammi-hartung/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-green-kingdom-by-cornelia-funke-and-tammi-hartung/#respond Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:36:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44818 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 realistic fiction.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-green-kingdom-by-cornelia-funke-and-tammi-hartung/feed/ 0 Cicely Tyson by Renee Watson https://redeemedreader.com/cicely-tyson-by-renee-watson/ https://redeemedreader.com/cicely-tyson-by-renee-watson/#respond Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:30:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44833 Lyrical prose and vibrant collage illustrations introduce young readers to Cicely Tyson.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/cicely-tyson-by-renee-watson/feed/ 0 To Walk the Sky by Patricia Morris Buckley https://redeemedreader.com/to-walk-the-sky-by-patricia-morris-buckley/ https://redeemedreader.com/to-walk-the-sky-by-patricia-morris-buckley/#respond Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:56:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44821 In To Walk the Sky, young readers learn how Iroquois men became steelworkers.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/to-walk-the-sky-by-patricia-morris-buckley/feed/ 0 *Wild Honey from the Moon by Kenneth Kraegel https://redeemedreader.com/wild-honey-from-the-moon-by-kenneth-kraegel/ https://redeemedreader.com/wild-honey-from-the-moon-by-kenneth-kraegel/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 10:14:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44847 Nothing will stop Mother Shrew’s quest to fetch Wild Honey from the Moon for her sick son, Hugo.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/wild-honey-from-the-moon-by-kenneth-kraegel/feed/ 0 I Love You From Fingertip to Fingertip by Elisabeth Blaker Brown https://redeemedreader.com/i-love-you-from-fingertip-to-fingertip-by-elisabeth-blaker-brown/ https://redeemedreader.com/i-love-you-from-fingertip-to-fingertip-by-elisabeth-blaker-brown/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 09:40:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44811 Told in a parent’s voice, a sweet, faith-filled picture book reminding a child “I love you from fingertip to fingertip.”

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/i-love-you-from-fingertip-to-fingertip-by-elisabeth-blaker-brown/feed/ 0 *Bee-bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park https://redeemedreader.com/bee-bim-bop-by-linda-sue-park/ https://redeemedreader.com/bee-bim-bop-by-linda-sue-park/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:45:25 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44840 Cheerful rhyming illustrations celebrate the making of Bee-bim Bop!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bee-bim-bop-by-linda-sue-park/feed/ 0 How Do You Eat Color? by Mabi David (trans. Karen Llagas) https://redeemedreader.com/how-do-you-eat-color-by-mabi-david-trans-karen-llagas/ https://redeemedreader.com/how-do-you-eat-color-by-mabi-david-trans-karen-llagas/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:44:17 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44837 Two children wander through a day finding the answer to the question: how do you eat color?

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/how-do-you-eat-color-by-mabi-david-trans-karen-llagas/feed/ 0 *The Traveling Taco by Mia Wenjen https://redeemedreader.com/the-traveling-taco-by-mia-wenjen/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-traveling-taco-by-mia-wenjen/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:42:19 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44844 Young readers will learn more about the origins of their favorite foods in the Traveling Taco!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-traveling-taco-by-mia-wenjen/feed/ 0 *Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannet https://redeemedreader.com/three-tales-of-my-fathers-dragon-by-ruth-stiles-gannet/ https://redeemedreader.com/three-tales-of-my-fathers-dragon-by-ruth-stiles-gannet/#respond Tue, 14 Oct 2025 19:10:34 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44480 Young readers are invited by a narrator into Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/three-tales-of-my-fathers-dragon-by-ruth-stiles-gannet/feed/ 0 Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear by Trang Nguyen https://redeemedreader.com/saving-sorya-chang-and-the-sun-bear-by-trang-nguyen/ https://redeemedreader.com/saving-sorya-chang-and-the-sun-bear-by-trang-nguyen/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 20:16:15 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44696 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 graphic novel for middle grade readers.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/saving-sorya-chang-and-the-sun-bear-by-trang-nguyen/feed/ 0 *The Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull https://redeemedreader.com/the-black-mambas-the-worlds-first-all-woman-anti-poaching-unit-by-kelly-crull/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-black-mambas-the-worlds-first-all-woman-anti-poaching-unit-by-kelly-crull/#respond Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:39:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44702 Young readers are introduced to The Black Mambas: The World's First All Women Anti-poaching Unit.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-black-mambas-the-worlds-first-all-woman-anti-poaching-unit-by-kelly-crull/feed/ 0 It Is Okay by Ye Guo https://redeemedreader.com/it-is-okay-by-ye-guo/ https://redeemedreader.com/it-is-okay-by-ye-guo/#respond Tue, 30 Sep 2025 09:37:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44707 Two unlikely friends discover It Is Okay to have both common interests and differences.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/it-is-okay-by-ye-guo/feed/ 0 Our Friendly Farmhouse by Melissa Ferguson https://redeemedreader.com/our-friendly-farmhouse-by-melissa-ferguson/ https://redeemedreader.com/our-friendly-farmhouse-by-melissa-ferguson/#respond Thu, 25 Sep 2025 17:44:30 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44729 Sweet illustrations and cheerful text introduce readers to our friendly farmhouse.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/our-friendly-farmhouse-by-melissa-ferguson/feed/ 0 *Peek-A-Boo! by Allan Ahlberg https://redeemedreader.com/peek-a-boo-by-allan-ahlberg/ https://redeemedreader.com/peek-a-boo-by-allan-ahlberg/#respond Tue, 09 Sep 2025 09:43:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44483 Rhyming text invites young listeners into a game of peek-a-boo with a British baby boy in 1940s England.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/peek-a-boo-by-allan-ahlberg/feed/ 0 *Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry https://redeemedreader.com/gay-girl-good-god-by-jackie-hill-perry/ https://redeemedreader.com/gay-girl-good-god-by-jackie-hill-perry/#respond Thu, 04 Sep 2025 08:48:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44476 In evocative, lyrical prose, Jackie Hill Perry shares her spiritual journey in Gay Girl, Good God.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/gay-girl-good-god-by-jackie-hill-perry/feed/ 0 Back Porch Book Chat with Becky Dean (YA author) https://redeemedreader.com/back-porch-book-chat-with-becky-dean-ya-author/ https://redeemedreader.com/back-porch-book-chat-with-becky-dean-ya-author/#respond Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:47:23 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44425 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 Other Great Expectations, and most recently Love Unmasked. Per her author bio: Becky “is a fan of adventures both real and fictional. When she’s not writing or traveling, she can…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/back-porch-book-chat-with-becky-dean-ya-author/feed/ 0 Picture-Perfect Boyfriend by Becky Dean https://redeemedreader.com/picture-perfect-boyfriend-by-becky-dean/ https://redeemedreader.com/picture-perfect-boyfriend-by-becky-dean/#respond Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:20:16 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44402 A family trip to Hawaii is complicated for Kenzie Reed by the arrival of her picture-perfect boyfriend -who is supposed to be fictitious!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/picture-perfect-boyfriend-by-becky-dean/feed/ 0 The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay A. Franklin https://redeemedreader.com/the-unraveling-of-emlyn-dulaine-by-lindsay-a-franklin/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-unraveling-of-emlyn-dulaine-by-lindsay-a-franklin/#respond Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:17:20 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44407 While a series starter, The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine is a fun, contained, YA fantasy.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-unraveling-of-emlyn-dulaine-by-lindsay-a-franklin/feed/ 0 Love Unmasked by Becky Dean https://redeemedreader.com/love-unmasked-by-becky-dean/ https://redeemedreader.com/love-unmasked-by-becky-dean/#respond Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:50:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44350 A fun YA romance about a trip to Venice that will end with Love Unmasked.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/love-unmasked-by-becky-dean/feed/ 0 *Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox https://redeemedreader.com/ten-little-fingers-and-ten-little-toes-by-mem-fox/ https://redeemedreader.com/ten-little-fingers-and-ten-little-toes-by-mem-fox/#respond Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:28:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44391 A cheerful rhyming celebration of babies around the world, each possessing Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/ten-little-fingers-and-ten-little-toes-by-mem-fox/feed/ 0 *A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker https://redeemedreader.com/a-visitor-for-bear-by-bonny-becker/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-visitor-for-bear-by-bonny-becker/#respond Thu, 21 Aug 2025 10:08:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=44354 Bear's solitary existence is disrupted by a visitor for bear.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-visitor-for-bear-by-bonny-becker/feed/ 0 The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard https://redeemedreader.com/the-keeper-of-stories-by-caroline-kusin-pritchard/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-keeper-of-stories-by-caroline-kusin-pritchard/#respond Thu, 07 Aug 2025 20:54:41 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43909 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 Library.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-keeper-of-stories-by-caroline-kusin-pritchard/feed/ 0 Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story by Suzanne Slade https://redeemedreader.com/out-of-school-and-into-nature/ https://redeemedreader.com/out-of-school-and-into-nature/#respond Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:41:06 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43901 A simple picture book biography, Out of School and Into Nature, introduces young readers to the fascinating life and work of artist and naturalist Anna Comstock.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/out-of-school-and-into-nature/feed/ 0 Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner https://redeemedreader.com/wagon-wheels-by-barbara-brenner/ https://redeemedreader.com/wagon-wheels-by-barbara-brenner/#respond Thu, 24 Jul 2025 19:55:55 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43794 Wagon Wheels, a classic from the I Can Read series, introduces young readers to the Black pioneer experience.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/wagon-wheels-by-barbara-brenner/feed/ 0 *Once a Castle by Sarah Arthur https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-castle/ https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-castle/#respond Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:34:26 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43898 Readers return to Sarah Arthur's fantasy world with a whole new adventure and cast of characters in Once a Castle.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-castle/feed/ 0 *The Blossoming Summer by Anna Rose Johnson https://redeemedreader.com/the-blossoming-summer-by-anna-rose-johnson/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-blossoming-summer-by-anna-rose-johnson/#respond Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:33:04 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43893 1940, England: as war threatens, one family journeys to Wisconsin for a fresh start in The Blossoming Summer.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-blossoming-summer-by-anna-rose-johnson/feed/ 0 *A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim https://redeemedreader.com/a-forgery-of-fate-by-elizabeth-lim/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-forgery-of-fate-by-elizabeth-lim/#respond Thu, 19 Jun 2025 16:37:55 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43792 Beauty and the Beast, with echoes of other fairytales, is spun together with Chinese folklore in an an excellent YA fantasy: A Forgery of Fate.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-forgery-of-fate-by-elizabeth-lim/feed/ 0 *Bright Stars of Black British History by J. T. Williams https://redeemedreader.com/bright-stars-of-black-british-history-by-j-t-williams/ https://redeemedreader.com/bright-stars-of-black-british-history-by-j-t-williams/#respond Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:59:56 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43617 A beautifully illustrated, well-written guide to the Bright Stars of Black British History.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bright-stars-of-black-british-history-by-j-t-williams/feed/ 0 Dragon Slayers by Joyce Denham https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-slayers-by-joyce-denham/ https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-slayers-by-joyce-denham/#respond Mon, 02 Jun 2025 20:57:47 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43620 Dragon Slayers is an earnest attempt to capture Christian theology and history as a battle between dragons and dragon slayers.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/dragon-slayers-by-joyce-denham/feed/ 0 2025 Reader’s Choice + Books of the Year https://redeemedreader.com/2025-readers-choice-books-of-the-year/ https://redeemedreader.com/2025-readers-choice-books-of-the-year/#respond Thu, 29 May 2025 20:57:39 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43571 We are proud to present the winners of our inaugural Books of the Year Award! *Most of this content was originally published in our May 2025 Quarterly Magazine. The Redeemed Reader team has long wanted to launch our own Book of the Year Award. Why? First, we wanted to acknowledge the many excellent books written…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/2025-readers-choice-books-of-the-year/feed/ 0 *Don’t Trust Fish by Neil Sharpson https://redeemedreader.com/dont-trust-fish-by-neil-sharpson/ https://redeemedreader.com/dont-trust-fish-by-neil-sharpson/#respond Tue, 06 May 2025 15:23:15 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=43368 A charming whimsical picture book with a very important message: Don't Trust Fish!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/dont-trust-fish-by-neil-sharpson/feed/ 0 Strangers & Sojourners: A Redeemed Reader Booklist about the Refugee and Immigrant Experience https://redeemedreader.com/strangers-sojourners-a-redeemed-reader-booklist-about-refugees/ https://redeemedreader.com/strangers-sojourners-a-redeemed-reader-booklist-about-refugees/#respond Wed, 05 Feb 2025 18:00:27 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42526 A booklist about the refugee experience with titles for all ages.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/strangers-sojourners-a-redeemed-reader-booklist-about-refugees/feed/ 0 *Working Boats: An Inside Look at Ten Watercraft by Tom Crestodina https://redeemedreader.com/working-boats/ https://redeemedreader.com/working-boats/#respond Tue, 04 Feb 2025 05:39:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42414 With engaging text, cutaway art, and beautifully detailed illustrations, Tom Crestodina introduces young readers to the world of working boats in Working Boats: An Inside Look at Ten Amazing Watercraft.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/working-boats/feed/ 0 Newbery Buzz #4: The Bletchley Riddle https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-the-bletchley-riddle/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-the-bletchley-riddle/#respond Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:55:31 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42345 Betsy and Hayley discuss The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. (See our starred review, HERE.) Hayley: Betsy, I know you and I LOVED this book! Something I really appreciated was the brother-sibling relationship between Jakob and Lizzie. I think the authors nailed the awkward, “we used to be friends but now you’re…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-4-the-bletchley-riddle/feed/ 0 *The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin https://redeemedreader.com/the-bletchley-riddle-by-ruta-sepetys-and-steve-sheinkin/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-bletchley-riddle-by-ruta-sepetys-and-steve-sheinkin/#respond Thu, 23 Jan 2025 16:24:48 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42337 An intriguing, code-breaking adventure introduces young teens to the work at Bletchley Park. *The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin. Viking, 2024. 400 pages. England, 1940. Lizzie Novis, at 14, is not about to be packed off to America and the safety of her American grandmother. The first chapter finds her dodging her…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-bletchley-riddle-by-ruta-sepetys-and-steve-sheinkin/feed/ 0 Newbery Buzz #3: Ferris https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-3-ferris/ https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-3-ferris/#respond Thu, 16 Jan 2025 19:52:18 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42275 Betsy and Hayley discuss Ferris by Kate DiCamillo, another new favorite. (See our starred review, here.) Hayley: Betsy, it’s no secret I love Ferris. In fact, I loved it so much I spent one newsletter last fall talking about it! I’m going to unashamedly steal some of what I wrote then and incorporate it into…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/newbery-buzz-3-ferris/feed/ 0 Three 2024 YA Romantic Fantasy Novels https://redeemedreader.com/three-2024-ya-romantic-fantasy-novels/ https://redeemedreader.com/three-2024-ya-romantic-fantasy-novels/#comments Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:47:26 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=42170 Dragonfruit, What Monstrous Gods, and The Hedgewitch of Foxhall: three 2024 YA romantic fantasy novels by authors we have enjoyed in the past. Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier. Clarion Books, 2024. 366 pages.   What is a wish worth? It’s a question that has haunted Hanalei, an exile from the island of Tamarind. In this fantasy…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/three-2024-ya-romantic-fantasy-novels/feed/ 1 *Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise https://redeemedreader.com/knight-owl-and-early-bird-by-christopher-denise/ https://redeemedreader.com/knight-owl-and-early-bird-by-christopher-denise/#respond Sat, 23 Nov 2024 22:21:53 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41902 Whooo goes there? It’s Knight Owl and Early Bird in this charming picture book sequel! Knight Owl and Early Bird by Christopher Denise. Christy Ottaviano Books, 2024. 48 Pages. Owl is very important. He is captain of the Knight Night Watch. One day, just as Owl is turning in, a new bird arrives at the…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/knight-owl-and-early-bird-by-christopher-denise/feed/ 0 *Granny Smith was Not an Apple by Sarah Glenn Fortson https://redeemedreader.com/granny-smith-was-not-an-apple-by-sarah-glenn-fortson/ https://redeemedreader.com/granny-smith-was-not-an-apple-by-sarah-glenn-fortson/#respond Fri, 30 Aug 2024 20:39:05 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41414 A beautiful picture book chronicling the origin of the Granny Smith apple variety through the life of one determined woman. *Granny Smith was Not An Apple: The Story of Orchardist Maria Ann Smith by Sarah Glenn Fortson and illustrated by Kris Aro McLeod, Peter Pauper Press, 2023. 32 pages. Crunch, crunch, crunch. A sour-faced woman…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/granny-smith-was-not-an-apple-by-sarah-glenn-fortson/feed/ 0 Wormwood Abbey: A Guest Post by Gina Dalfonzo https://redeemedreader.com/wormwood-abbey-a-guest-post-by-gina-dalfonzo/ https://redeemedreader.com/wormwood-abbey-a-guest-post-by-gina-dalfonzo/#comments Fri, 23 Aug 2024 18:43:58 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41364 Today we are happy to share a guest post from Gina Dalfonzo, author and fellow book reviewer. Gina has been a guest at Redeemed Reader before: don’t miss her bio and our Back Porch Book Chat with her, linked below. This review was originally published on Gina’s Substack, Dear Strange Things. Wormwood Abbey, Christina Baehr,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/wormwood-abbey-a-guest-post-by-gina-dalfonzo/feed/ 2 Where Did the Ratings Go? https://redeemedreader.com/where-did-the-ratings-go/ https://redeemedreader.com/where-did-the-ratings-go/#respond Fri, 16 Aug 2024 19:04:44 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41313 This post was first shared in our weekly newsletter. If you’d like to subscribe to our newsletter for weekly updates: book reviews, book trivia, and bookish news, click HERE. Over the past couple months, several readers have noticed a change in our reviews. Rather than finish with a numerical rating, we have started using a bottom…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/where-did-the-ratings-go/feed/ 0 The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry https://redeemedreader.com/the-luminous-life-of-lucy-landry/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-luminous-life-of-lucy-landry/#respond Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:01:15 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41278 A sweet middle-grade historical fiction recounting some of the Luminous Life of Lucy Landry, an Ojibwe orphan. The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry, Anna Rose Johnson, Holiday House, 2024. 192 pages. When her guardian dies, Lucy Landry isn’t sure what to expect. Her active imagination is quick to fill in a number of scenarios, but…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-luminous-life-of-lucy-landry/feed/ 0 The Secret Language of Birds by Lynne Kelly https://redeemedreader.com/the-secret-language-of-birds/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-secret-language-of-birds/#respond Fri, 19 Jul 2024 21:02:43 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=41221 A neurodivergent tween finds friends and makes an amazing discovery at summer camp. The Secret Language of Birds, Lynne Kelly, Delacorte Press, 2024. 240 Pages Nina loves birds. People though? And camp? That doesn’t sound very fun. But when Aunt Audrey, a camp director invites her to camp, Nina reluctantly accepts. At first she’s ready…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-secret-language-of-birds/feed/ 0 Something Like Home by Andrea Beatrix Arango https://redeemedreader.com/somethinglikehome/ https://redeemedreader.com/somethinglikehome/#respond Thu, 21 Mar 2024 18:47:34 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40619 A poignant novel-in-verse explores the question: “What is home when your world turns upside-down?“ Something Like Home, Andrea Beatrix Arango, Random House Books for Young Readers, 2023. 256 pages. We meet Laura in a car. A social worker is driving her to her aunt’s apartment. But why? We don’t know though as the novel-in-verse progresses,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/somethinglikehome/feed/ 0 Big by Vashti Harrison https://redeemedreader.com/big/ https://redeemedreader.com/big/#respond Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:00:57 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40325 In Big, winner of the 2024 Caldecott medal, one young girl learns to be kind to herself, despite the words of others. Big by Vashti Harrison, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 60 pages. Once upon a time there was a little girl who wasn’t so little. She was a big baby. She became…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/big/feed/ 0 Reading K. M. Shea’s Clean Urban Fantasy https://redeemedreader.com/reading-k-m-shea/ https://redeemedreader.com/reading-k-m-shea/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2024 15:08:21 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40303 Snarky heroines, quick banter, action, adventure, and a dash of romance are all components to K. M. Shea’s urban fantasy novels, but are they suitable for teens? For the past few years, K. M. Shea’s Magiford books have been a guilty pleasure in my free reading. Often available through Kindle Unlimited, for a while I…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/reading-k-m-shea/feed/ 0 *Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-queen/ https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-queen/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 22:11:52 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40296 Sarah Arthur’s YA fantasy novel Once a Queen imagines a world like ours where stories come to life, but individuals have to return to reality. *Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur, WaterBrook, 2024. 384 pages. What happens after stories end? Eva is arriving in England to visit a grandmother she has never met, one her…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/once-a-queen/feed/ 0 2024 Newbery Buzz #4: Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow https://redeemedreader.com/2024-newbery-buzz-4-simon-sort-of-says-by-erin-bow/ https://redeemedreader.com/2024-newbery-buzz-4-simon-sort-of-says-by-erin-bow/#respond Thu, 18 Jan 2024 13:12:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40156 Simon Sort of Says was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Could it win the Newbery? We’re continuing our long-running Newbery Buzz Discussion series this year with a book that was longlisted for the National Book Award: Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow. To read the rest in our series…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/2024-newbery-buzz-4-simon-sort-of-says-by-erin-bow/feed/ 0 YA Fantasy: Murtagh, Theft of Sunlight, & Wind Daughter https://redeemedreader.com/ya-fantasy-murtagh-theft-of-sunlight-wind-daughter/ https://redeemedreader.com/ya-fantasy-murtagh-theft-of-sunlight-wind-daughter/#comments Thu, 21 Dec 2023 23:24:32 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=40031 A rapid fire round up of three YA fantasy novels that belong to bigger worlds: Murtagh, A Darkness at the Door, and Wind Daughter. Murtagh by Christopher Paolini. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2023, 704 pages. Set following the Inheritance Cycle, Paolini focuses on Murtagh and his dragon Thorn, now living as fugitives. A cryptic…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/ya-fantasy-murtagh-theft-of-sunlight-wind-daughter/feed/ 1 Hayley’s Favorite Books, Old and New https://redeemedreader.com/hayleys-favorite-books-old-and-new-2/ https://redeemedreader.com/hayleys-favorite-books-old-and-new-2/#respond Thu, 07 Dec 2023 19:09:22 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=39764 We are excited to be partnering with Story Glory Kids for our Winter Book Fair this year! In the past, we linked to amazon for all of our Christmas gift suggestions, but this year, whenever possible, we’ll be directing you to Story Glory for your book-related shopping. Like amazon, we get a small commission. Unlike…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/hayleys-favorite-books-old-and-new-2/feed/ 0 *Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith & Boulet https://redeemedreader.com/bea-wolf-by-zach-weinersmith-boulet/ https://redeemedreader.com/bea-wolf-by-zach-weinersmith-boulet/#respond Thu, 30 Nov 2023 21:49:55 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=39677 Calvin and Hobbes meets the Nickelodeon channel to retell Beowulf in a colorful, creative, graphic novel. Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith & Boulet. First Second, 2023, 208 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade, Ages 10-12 Recommended For: Ages 10 and up If you’ve read, Beowulf, you know it begins with an injunction: “Hwæt” Open the pages…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/bea-wolf-by-zach-weinersmith-boulet/feed/ 0 YA Graphic Novels: Graceling, Cheshire Crossing & Lore Olympus https://redeemedreader.com/ya-graphic-novels-graceling-cheshire-crossing-lore-olympus/ https://redeemedreader.com/ya-graphic-novels-graceling-cheshire-crossing-lore-olympus/#respond Thu, 21 Sep 2023 17:04:09 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=39031 A rapid fire round up of three YA graphic novels for mature teen readers. Graceling by Kristin Cashore, adapted and illustrated by Gareth Hinds. Clarion Books, 2021, 272 pages. A gorgeous, lyrical graphic novel about a girl graced with a deadly gift. In Cashore’s fantasy world some people are “gracelings,” strange-eyed and possessing a magical…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/ya-graphic-novels-graceling-cheshire-crossing-lore-olympus/feed/ 0 Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef https://redeemedreader.com/once-there-was/ https://redeemedreader.com/once-there-was/#respond Thu, 21 Sep 2023 16:06:14 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=39026 In the tradition of Susan Cooper, a lyrical, dark fantasy for mature middle grade readers.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/once-there-was/feed/ 0 Quicksilver by R. J. Anderson https://redeemedreader.com/quicksilver-by-r-j-anderson/ https://redeemedreader.com/quicksilver-by-r-j-anderson/#respond Tue, 29 Aug 2023 20:46:52 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=15915 In an engaging sci-fi thriller, one girl attempts to outrun her past while discovering her true identity. Quicksilver by R. J. Anderson. Carolrhoda Lab, 2013. 320 pages. Reading Level:  Young Adults, Ages 16-upRecommended For: Ages 16-up On June 7, the year I turned sixteen, I vanished without a trace. On September 28 of the same year I came…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/quicksilver-by-r-j-anderson/feed/ 0 The Most of P. G. Wodehouse by P. G. Wodehouse https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-of-p-g-wodehouse-by-p-g-wodehouse/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-of-p-g-wodehouse-by-p-g-wodehouse/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2023 22:20:24 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=13807 An excellent introduction to P. G. Wodehouse via his short stories and one delightful novella.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-most-of-p-g-wodehouse-by-p-g-wodehouse/feed/ 3 Mr. Darcy & Miss Tilney Mysteries (Books 1 & 2) by Claudia Gray https://redeemedreader.com/mr-darcy-and-miss-tilney/ https://redeemedreader.com/mr-darcy-and-miss-tilney/#respond Tue, 15 Aug 2023 22:58:44 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=38883 Mysteries involving Jane Austen characters? That is the premise of Claudia Gray's recent mystery series suitable for mature teen readers as well as adults.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/mr-darcy-and-miss-tilney/feed/ 0 *Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins https://redeemedreader.com/hope-in-the-valley-by-mitali-perkins/ https://redeemedreader.com/hope-in-the-valley-by-mitali-perkins/#respond Tue, 08 Aug 2023 20:10:34 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=38841 Hope in the Valley captures one girl’s momentous summer as she processes grief, grapples with change, and finds her own voice along the way.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/hope-in-the-valley-by-mitali-perkins/feed/ 0 In the Blue by Erin Hourigan https://redeemedreader.com/in-the-blue-by-erin-hourigan/ https://redeemedreader.com/in-the-blue-by-erin-hourigan/#respond Tue, 14 Mar 2023 19:40:07 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=38099 In the Blue gently explores what it is like for a child to experience the depression of a loved one.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/in-the-blue-by-erin-hourigan/feed/ 0 Understanding Ukraine https://redeemedreader.com/understanding-ukraine/ https://redeemedreader.com/understanding-ukraine/#respond Sun, 26 Feb 2023 00:58:04 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=37880 A year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, here is an updated booklist from Hayley’s 2014 series of posts about Ukraine. In 2014, as Russia invaded the Crimean peninsula, Redeemed Reader provided a series of posts to help readers understand Ukraine and the conflict occurring in Europe. Some of the titles were Ukrainian-specific while others helped…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/understanding-ukraine/feed/ 0 When Winter Robeson Came by Brenda Woods https://redeemedreader.com/when-winter-robeson-came/ https://redeemedreader.com/when-winter-robeson-came/#respond Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:25:39 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=37869 History and a summer adventure combine in an engaging, slim, novel-in-verse for middle grade readers.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/when-winter-robeson-came/feed/ 0 The 2023 ALA Youth Media Awards https://redeemedreader.com/the-2023-ala-youth-media-awards/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-2023-ala-youth-media-awards/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:13:23 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=37538 The big winners and runners-up from the most prestidgious awards in children's literature

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-2023-ala-youth-media-awards/feed/ 1 *A Dragon Used to Live Here by Annette LeBlanc Cate https://redeemedreader.com/a-dragon-used-to-live-here/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-dragon-used-to-live-here/#respond Thu, 19 Jan 2023 23:34:43 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=36820 In a whimsical tale within a tale, two royal children discover that their castle (and their own mother!) have a very interesting past. A Dragon Used to Live Here by Annette LeBlanc Cate. Candlewick, 2022, 256 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended For: ages 6-12 as a read-aloud, 8-12 independent readers Noble children…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-dragon-used-to-live-here/feed/ 0 *The Star that Always Stays by Anna Rose Johnson https://redeemedreader.com/the-star-that-always-stays/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-star-that-always-stays/#comments Thu, 01 Dec 2022 14:00:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=36821 In a debut novel reminiscent of Maud Hart Lovelace and Laura Ingalls Wilder, a young girl discovers new friends, family, and hope. The Star That Always Stays is one of our Readers’ Choice Top Ten Picks for 2025! Check out the rest and be ready to cast your vote in March. *The Star that Always…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-star-that-always-stays/feed/ 1 Cozy and Clever Books for Teens and Adults https://redeemedreader.com/cozy-and-clever-books-for-teens-and-adults/ https://redeemedreader.com/cozy-and-clever-books-for-teens-and-adults/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2022 15:07:57 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=27600 During uncertain times, there’s something reassuring about a cozy book. But even better than a cozy book is a cozy, clever book . . .

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/cozy-and-clever-books-for-teens-and-adults/feed/ 9 Ukraine: Lessons in Liberty and Compassion, Part 1 https://redeemedreader.com/ukraine-lessons-in-liberty-and-compassion/ https://redeemedreader.com/ukraine-lessons-in-liberty-and-compassion/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2022 04:08:58 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=11057 This post was originally published in 2014, shortly after Ukraine’s Maidan Revolution. Emily’s reflections and application are still timely today. From Emily: As my kids are solidly in the middle of Medieval History in our home schooling, they haven’t had many opportunities to hear the the words, “Cold War.”  But with the events unfolding over…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/ukraine-lessons-in-liberty-and-compassion/feed/ 6 Getting to Know Shirley Hughes (1927 —2022) https://redeemedreader.com/getting-to-know-shirley-hughes-1927/ https://redeemedreader.com/getting-to-know-shirley-hughes-1927/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2022 23:24:37 +0000 http://redeemedreader.wpengine.com/?p=20805 Quintessentially English, Shirley Hughes delighted generations with her charming stories and beautiful illustrations. Growing up near Liverpool, England in the 1930s -40s, Hughes enjoyed such illustrators as Arthur Rackam.  She dreamed of being an illustrator but didn’t think the dream possible.   Hughes’ family was relatively well-to-do.  Her father, T. J. Hughes founded a department…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/getting-to-know-shirley-hughes-1927/feed/ 4 Favorite Classics for Book Lovers https://redeemedreader.com/favorite-classics-for-book-lovers/ https://redeemedreader.com/favorite-classics-for-book-lovers/#comments Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:46:42 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=25627 We review primarily new books here on Redeemed Reader, not because we don’t love the old books, but because resources for the new books are sometimes hard to find. We’re reading ahead for you, as it were. But we know that many of you–like us–love the old books, too! Here are some of our very…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/favorite-classics-for-book-lovers/feed/ 4 What about Aru Shah? https://redeemedreader.com/what-about-aru-shah/ https://redeemedreader.com/what-about-aru-shah/#comments Tue, 26 Oct 2021 14:34:39 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=32726 This is a question we often get at Redeemed Reader. In fact, there’s a whole comment thread asking if we’ve reviewed it. Part of the Rick Riordan Presents Series, Aru Shah and the End of Time welcomes readers into the dazzling and rather baffling world of Hindu mythology and reincarnation. Roshani Chokshi is a gifted…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/what-about-aru-shah/feed/ 2 Looking Behind in The Hobbit https://redeemedreader.com/looking-behind-in-the-hobbit/ https://redeemedreader.com/looking-behind-in-the-hobbit/#comments Wed, 22 Sep 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=32405 This essay was originally written by Hayley for the Redeemed Reader 2012 Writing Contest. We hope you’ll enjoy it as we revisit The Hobbit this week, just in time for Bilbo’s birthday. Looking Behind As Bilbo Baggins clings to a barrel, increasingly cold and entirely wet, he wonders if he will die. Quite a predicament,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/looking-behind-in-the-hobbit/feed/ 1 J. R. R. Tolkien for Kids by Simonetta Carr https://redeemedreader.com/j-r-r-tolkien-for-kids/ https://redeemedreader.com/j-r-r-tolkien-for-kids/#respond Wed, 01 Sep 2021 14:41:46 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=32273 An interactive biographical introduction to Tolkien with 21 activities, J. R. R. Tolkien for Kids is perfect for middle grade Tolkien enthusiasts. J. R. R. Tolkien for Kids: His Life and Writing with 21 Activities by Simonetta Carr. Chicago Review Press, 2021. 144 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grade (Ages 12 and up) Recommended For: Ages…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/j-r-r-tolkien-for-kids/feed/ 0 *Steeped in Stories by Mitali Perkins: a Discussion https://redeemedreader.com/steeped-in-stories-by-mitali-perkins-a-discussion/ https://redeemedreader.com/steeped-in-stories-by-mitali-perkins-a-discussion/#comments Wed, 25 Aug 2021 12:45:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=32233 Steeped in Stories is a winsome, thought-provoking celebration of some beloved classics: a Redeemed Reader discussion. *Steeped in Stories: Timeless Children’s Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls by Mitali Perkins. Broadleaf Books, 2021. 240 pages. Reading Level: Adult Recommended For: YA/Adult Hayley: Why read the classics? Aren’t they out of date? Let alone, how do we…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/steeped-in-stories-by-mitali-perkins-a-discussion/feed/ 1 A Visit to the Printers https://redeemedreader.com/a-visit-to-the-printers/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-visit-to-the-printers/#comments Thu, 19 Aug 2021 21:05:21 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=32196 Last Monday, I set off for a visit to our local printers. While I’ve written about going to the printer’s before, this time I wasn’t just picking up a proof. A Basement Tour Instead, it was time for a behind-the-scenes tour of SUN Printing with our printing contact, Carl. Past the lobby, down a corridor,…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-visit-to-the-printers/feed/ 2 *Reading and Talking about Sexuality https://redeemedreader.com/book-about-christian-sexuality/ https://redeemedreader.com/book-about-christian-sexuality/#comments Fri, 02 Jul 2021 15:18:04 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31761 *Note, this post engages with sexuality and includes conversation and books that are suitable for teens and adults. I was hiking in Europe. A French friend was telling me about a messy hook-up pseudo relationship. I listened and sympathized and then said, thoughtfully,  “That kind of thing wouldn’t happen for me because I believe that…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/book-about-christian-sexuality/feed/ 7 Another Kingdom series by Andrew Klavan https://redeemedreader.com/another-kingdom-series-by-andrew-klavan/ https://redeemedreader.com/another-kingdom-series-by-andrew-klavan/#comments Fri, 07 May 2021 23:36:35 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31319 Andrew Klavan’s recently concluded gritty fantasy trilogy is a series for adults, not teens. Another Kingdom series by Andrew Klavan. Turner Publishing. Reading Level: Adult Recommended For: *Adults (see below) As Another Kingdom begins Austin Lively is just a Hollywood wannabe closing soon on a has-been. Then, he stumbles through a portal into a kingdom…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/another-kingdom-series-by-andrew-klavan/feed/ 3 Learning to Find Good Books https://redeemedreader.com/learning-to-find-good-books/ https://redeemedreader.com/learning-to-find-good-books/#comments Wed, 05 May 2021 00:16:13 +0000 http://ordinary-fan.flywheelsites.com/?p=23088 How do we find good books? We get this question often at Redeemed Reader. Many of you are on the hunt for books: to satisfy a voracious reader, interest an apathetic reader, find a new read aloud —the list goes on and on. But how do we find good books? And how can you do it? Honestly, this…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/learning-to-find-good-books/feed/ 3 Thought-Provoking YA Fantasy https://redeemedreader.com/thought-provoking-ya-fantasy/ https://redeemedreader.com/thought-provoking-ya-fantasy/#comments Sat, 24 Apr 2021 01:45:55 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31189 Between the two, The Theft of Sunlight and Into the Heartless Wood take on fairytales, humanity, and the complex web of sex trafficking. Into the Heartless Wood by Joanna Ruth Meyer. Page Street Kids, 2021. 368 pages. Reading Level: Young Adult, Ages 14-17 Recommended For: Ages 15 and up Imagine a world where railways plunge…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/thought-provoking-ya-fantasy/feed/ 3 The Hedgehog of Oz by Cory Leonardo https://redeemedreader.com/the-hedgehog-of-oz/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-hedgehog-of-oz/#respond Wed, 21 Apr 2021 02:19:16 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31181 The Hedgehog of Oz is a tribute to Oz from the perspective of a very small but determined hedgehog.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-hedgehog-of-oz/feed/ 0 *A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus https://redeemedreader.com/a-place-to-hang-the-moon/ https://redeemedreader.com/a-place-to-hang-the-moon/#comments Sat, 17 Apr 2021 01:19:41 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31164 Young readers will find kindred spirits in A Place to Hang the Moon, a story of three displaced children in wartime Britain. A Place to Hang the Moon is one of our Readers’ Choice Top Ten Picks for 2025! Check out the rest and be ready to cast your vote in March. *A Place to…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/a-place-to-hang-the-moon/feed/ 4 The Golden Age Detective Stories https://redeemedreader.com/reading-the-golden-age-detective-stories/ https://redeemedreader.com/reading-the-golden-age-detective-stories/#comments Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:11:08 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=31039 This is an abridged version of the article Reading the Golden Age that originally appeared in our Fall 2020 Quarterly. Who murdered ____?  Is it the estranged relative?  The thwarted lover? The embittered neighbor?  But the more immediate question for you, dear reader: what mystery to read? Let me introduce you to some of the…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/reading-the-golden-age-detective-stories/feed/ 6 Picture Book Biographies for Black History Month https://redeemedreader.com/picture-book-biographies-for-black-history-month/ https://redeemedreader.com/picture-book-biographies-for-black-history-month/#respond Fri, 26 Feb 2021 12:15:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30621 Learn about Aretha Franklin, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Elgin Baylor in these new picture books biographies.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/picture-book-biographies-for-black-history-month/feed/ 0 Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston https://redeemedreader.com/amari-and-the-night-brothers/ https://redeemedreader.com/amari-and-the-night-brothers/#comments Thu, 25 Feb 2021 12:15:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30724 Move over Percy Jackson and Harry Potter, there's a new girl on the block in Amari and the Night Brothers!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/amari-and-the-night-brothers/feed/ 2 Enclave Escape Round-up: YA Fantasy & Dystopia https://redeemedreader.com/enclave-escape-round-up-ya-fantasy-dystopia/ https://redeemedreader.com/enclave-escape-round-up-ya-fantasy-dystopia/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:10:08 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30634 Two series end and one begins in this round-up from Enclave Publishing, a Christian publishing house.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/enclave-escape-round-up-ya-fantasy-dystopia/feed/ 2 Friday Introductions: Hayley https://redeemedreader.com/friday-introductions-hayley/ https://redeemedreader.com/friday-introductions-hayley/#respond Fri, 05 Feb 2021 20:54:20 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30498 Team Spotlight What does it look like behind the scenes at Redeemed Reader? We’re taking some time on Fridays to give you a glimpse behind the curtains. What happens when a bookworm grows up? In my case, I joined the Redeemed Reader team. I’m Hayley, staff writer and the face behind the newsletters as well…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/friday-introductions-hayley/feed/ 0 *Catherine’s War by Julia Billet https://redeemedreader.com/catherines-war/ https://redeemedreader.com/catherines-war/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2021 12:24:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30449 n excellent new graphic novel translated into English, Catherine's War tells the story of one Jewish girl’s life in occupied France, often through the lens of her rolodex.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/catherines-war/feed/ 2 Meet the Team: Hayley at Christmas https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-hayley-at-christmas/ https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-hayley-at-christmas/#respond Mon, 21 Dec 2020 22:43:19 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30168 We wrap up our Meet the Team, Christmas 2020, with Hayley, our administrative assistant and staff writer, answering her own questions!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-hayley-at-christmas/feed/ 0 Meet the Team: Megan at Christmas https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-megan-at-christmas/ https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-megan-at-christmas/#respond Fri, 18 Dec 2020 19:24:14 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30145 Hayley plays interviewer to introduce the Redeemed Reader team. Today let's chat with our Associate Editor and Staff Writer, Megan Saben.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-megan-at-christmas/feed/ 0 Meet the Team: Betsy at Christmas https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-betsy-at-christmas/ https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-betsy-at-christmas/#respond Thu, 17 Dec 2020 17:48:00 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30135 As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, just in time for last minute Christmas ideas, here is Meet the Team, Christmas 2020 edition!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-betsy-at-christmas/feed/ 0 *The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo https://redeemedreader.com/simple-art-of-flying/ https://redeemedreader.com/simple-art-of-flying/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2020 19:39:21 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29793 A charming middle grade debut featuring a fractious, poetic parrot and a lonely little boy. *The Simple Art of Flying by Cory Leonardo. Aladdin, 2019. 384 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-12 Recommended For: Middle Grades, ages 8-12 Alastair is bound and determined to escape the pet shop. Even though it’s the only world…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/simple-art-of-flying/feed/ 2 Meet the Team: Janie at Christmas https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-jbc-2020/ https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-jbc-2020/#respond Wed, 16 Dec 2020 18:26:08 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30120 As 2020 draws to an end, we know we've added a lot of new readers. So, just in time for last minute Christmas ideas, here is Meet the Team, Christmas 2020 edition!

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/meet-the-team-jbc-2020/feed/ 0 What Happens Next https://redeemedreader.com/what-happens-next/ https://redeemedreader.com/what-happens-next/#respond Wed, 09 Dec 2020 21:18:15 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=30051 A debut MG novel tackles eating disorders from the unique perspective of a younger sibling.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/what-happens-next/feed/ 0 Two Excellent YA Fantasy Sequels https://redeemedreader.com/two-excellent-ya-fantasy-sequels/ https://redeemedreader.com/two-excellent-ya-fantasy-sequels/#respond Wed, 18 Nov 2020 15:12:13 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29796 The second book in a series faces a lot of pressure; here are two YA fantasy follow-ups that satisfy.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/two-excellent-ya-fantasy-sequels/feed/ 0 Thank You, C. S. Lewis https://redeemedreader.com/thank-you-c-s-lewis/ https://redeemedreader.com/thank-you-c-s-lewis/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2020 20:03:02 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29386 This morning, doing devotions, I was reflecting on the resurrection. The phrase Deeper magic, before the dawn of time drifted unbidden into my reflections.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/thank-you-c-s-lewis/feed/ 5 *Swift by R. J. Anderson https://redeemedreader.com/swift-by-r-j-anderson/ https://redeemedreader.com/swift-by-r-j-anderson/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2020 15:22:18 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29304 A young piskey girl searches for truth as danger threatens her home and loved ones.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/swift-by-r-j-anderson/feed/ 2 Dust by Kara Swanson https://redeemedreader.com/dust-by-kara-swanson/ https://redeemedreader.com/dust-by-kara-swanson/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:42:46 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29257 Neverland spills into modern day life and sets two young people on a collision course.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/dust-by-kara-swanson/feed/ 3 Mortal Sight by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads https://redeemedreader.com/mortal-sight/ https://redeemedreader.com/mortal-sight/#respond Wed, 30 Sep 2020 16:57:06 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29256 Secrets, shadows, and Milton's Paradise Lost are woven together in a YA fantasy.

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/mortal-sight/feed/ 0 The Fellowship: A Discussion https://redeemedreader.com/the-fellowship-a-discussion/ https://redeemedreader.com/the-fellowship-a-discussion/#respond Fri, 11 Sep 2020 02:17:26 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29166 Reading about the Inklings, Hayley and Megan discuss The Fellowship, an excellent book for Tolkien and Lewis enthusiasts. The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings: J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams by Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015. 656 pages. Reading Level: Adult Recommended For: Ages 16…

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]]> https://redeemedreader.com/the-fellowship-a-discussion/feed/ 0 *Dorothy and Jack by Gina Dalfonzo https://redeemedreader.com/dorothy-and-jack/ https://redeemedreader.com/dorothy-and-jack/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2020 19:35:30 +0000 https://redeemedreader.com/?p=29153 An excellent introduction to the friendship between C. S. Lewis and Dorothy Sayers. Dorothy and Jack by Gina Dalfonzo. Baker Books, 2020. 208 pages. Reading Level: Young adult – Adult, Ages 15 and up Recommended For: Ages 15 and up The first time Douglas Gresham saw his stepfather, C. S. Lewis, cry was at the…

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