Search Results: retro
Yellow and Pink is a simple, thoughtful picture book about two marionettes who discuss whether they are the result of design or a series of random accidents.
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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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The Retro Reads Issue of the Redeemed Reader Quarterly (February, 2024) takes a look back at the books we could check out when the card catalog was still around! As with all of our magazines, it includes a little something for every member of the family.
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The Rescuers by Margery Sharp offers fun, old-fashioned storytelling that bears little resemblance to the Disney movie. The Rescuers by Margery Sharp, illustrated by Garth Williams. New York Review Books, 2016 (re-issue). 160 pages. I can sing every word of the songs from the animated Rescuers movie—truly, one of the classics of its genre. So, it…
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In this “Retro Reads” book, homeschooled Thankful Curtis must leave her beloved island to brave the mainland and boarding school.
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The life of John Perkins offers the only true way to justice, reconciliation, and forgiveness for our tragic racist history.
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The Tripods: classic science fiction from the 1960s that’s still enjoyable for today’s young teens. The Tripods Series by John Christopher: The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead, The Pool of Fire, When the Tripods Came. Aladdin, 2014. (boxed set; the first book was originally published in 1967) Reading Level: Young Adult, ages…
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The classic story of the Velveteen Rabbit and more recent story of Edward Tulane demonstrate the nature of true love.
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A middle grades novel packed with life in ancient Egypt and an orphan’s adventure among the tombs of the dead.
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Jack and Praiseworthy must use their wits and resourcefulness if they are to strike it rich in California’s goldfields in this funny middle grades novel.
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The Book of the Ancient World is just what it sounds like: an interesting book about the ancient world, including Ancient Egypt, Israel, Persia, and more. Perfect for middle grades! *The Book of the Ancient World by Dorothy Mills. Memoria Press, 2012 (originally published 1920s). 204 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended For:…
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Read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s adventure classic, The Lost World, a book that has clear links to Jurassic Park! The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Originally published 1912. (Multiple versions available now.) Reading Level: Teens, ages 12-15 Recommended For: Middle grades and up, ages 10+ When newspaper reporter Edward Malone’s beloved Gladys refuses…
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75 years later, this Newbery-Award winning story about Johnny Tremain is still a great historical fiction read about the birth of America. *Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. HMH Books, 2011 (originally published 1943). 320 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended For: All ages as a read aloud, ages 10 and up as an independent…
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Mr. Revere and I: History as told by a horse in this humorous middle grades historical fiction. Mr. Revere and I: An account of a certain episode in the career of Paul Revere esq., as revealed by his horse… By Robert Lawson. Little, Brown and Company, 1953. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended For:…
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The Witch of Blackbird Pond is a modern classic with good reason: young Kit Tyler faces the questions all adolescents face as she tries to balance obedience with following her beliefs. *The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2011 (orig. 1958). 272 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages…
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A middle grades mystery that has become a modern classic: The Westing Game is just as engaging as ever! *The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Puffin Modern Classics, 2004. (orig. 1978). 192 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended For: Middle grades, ages 10 and up Turtle Wexler is brave and good at figuring…
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This is a guest post by Candice Watters, blogger at Family Making. Her original, longer review of Mei Fuh appeared there first. Welcome, Candice! Travel with theologian Francis Schaeffer’s wife, Edith, to China, the land of her birth, in this autobiographical story for grade school aged children. Mei Fuh: Memories from China by Edith Schaeffer.…
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In this British children’s classic, the brave Swallows (four siblings) are at war with the piratical Amazons (two sisters) in one glorious summer of sailing, camping, and treasure hunting. Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome. David R. Godine, 2010 (reprint; orig. 1930). 315 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12 Recommended For: All ages (read aloud);…
Read MoreNorth to Freedom (I Am David) by Anne Holm. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1963 (first edition), 256 pages. Reading Level: 10-12 Appropriate for: ages 12-up Bottom Line: After escaping from the soviet prison camp that comprised his whole world, a 12-year-old boy must come to terms with what it means to be free. The Danish journalist,…
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*The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye. Puffin, 2002 (originally published in 1980). 128 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 8-10 Recommended for: Ages 8-10 Bottom Line: Princess Amy, cursed with being ordinary, discovers that she quite likes being ordinary in this charming modern fairy tale. Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne of…
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In reading Lloyd Alexander’s picture books, I observe three things: 1) he is well-versed in a broad range of folklore traditions, 2) he loves cats, and 3) he’s a great storyteller. While his stories contain more Story than Truth, they are cleverly written and worth sharing. How the Cat Swallowed Thunder, illustrated by Judith Byron Schachner. Dutton…
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Readers will have a hard time forgetting Lloyd Alexander’s plucky heroine, Vesper Holly.
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It’s Retro Reads week with Lloyd Alexander! Today, we take a look back to Lloyd Alexander’s marvelous Chronicles of Prydain, the first of which was published 50 years ago. The Prydain Chronicles are modern classics which have influenced contemporary fantasy literature for children and remain highly readable/enjoyable in their own right 50 years after their first…
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This week we begin a series of occasional posts called Retro Reads: those modern-day classics you may have missed in your teen years or before you were even on the radar screen. We’ll do this mostly by author: Beverly Cleary, E. L. Konigsburg, Elizabeth Speare, Natalie Babbitt—and any favorites you’d like to suggest? We launch…
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We’ve been spending quite a bit of time this month looking at newer picture books–many of them published in 2013. But today we’re taking a look back to some favorite Retro Reads (published before 2000).* *You might think of retro reads as the books you could check out back when you used a card catalog!…
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Ribbit! The Truth about Frogs is an engaging nonfiction picture book that answers lots of good questions and helps the reader admire these fascinating amphibians.
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Dive into the book of Romans with your kids using The Sword: Magnus and the Mystery of Romans.
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Heckedy Peg is a picture book about a brave mother who loves her children and cleverly wins them back from evil clutches.
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In The Playmakers, three underdogs work hard to boost their game to the next level.
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We readers have lots of opinions about movies based off books. But let’s flip the script: What about books that are about movies? The books below all have film or the movies as a central part of the plot. These books celebrate the art of film-making, or examine movie culture, or something similar. We’ll also…
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The Island of Stars is a interesting story for readers who want a new spin on old-fashioned adventure tales.
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2025 SUMMER READING Looking for a fun, faith-filled, and screen-free way to keep your kids and grandkids learning this summer? Join the Summer 2025 Reading Challenge-a free program brought to you by Moody Publishers in partnership with Redeemed Reader, StoryGlory Kids, and Westminster Kids. When you sign up, you’ll get: ✔ A downloadable summer reading…
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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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Back Porch Book Chat: a casual conversation about books and writing. Today we’re visiting with Tasha Kazanjian, author of A Trick of Spades. A lover of old books, history, and theology, Tasha writes fantasy inspired by very real places and times. She can’t resist adding a bit of magic to her worlds, but her stories primarily focus…
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Are absent fathers a new problem in children’s literature? Or are they a long-used plot device?
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The Sherlock Society kicks off a fun mystery series by popular MG author James Ponti.
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Little Shrew is the dutiful hero of his ordinary life in this understated chapter book.
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Two children living on a Greek island discover a sealed clay pot containing two scrolls and a book. A treasure hunt, a ship, special coins, and a repentant prodigal form the frame tale for The Treasure. The Treasure by Marty Machowski, illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino. New Growth Press, 2023. 256 pages. Two children living on…
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And Then, Boom! features a winsome protagonist who suddenly finds himself abandoned.
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Barbara Cooney’s passion for beauty still inspires many, and the result is this lovely picture book honoring her legacy.
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Orris and Timble are the title characters of a new chapter-book series by Kate DiCamillo about a rat, an owl, and their unlikely friendship.
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Books about horses for horse lovers of all ages, boys and girls, just in time for the Kentucky Derby events this weekend.
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The Book Scavenger Series is an engaging middle grades mystery series for book lovers and puzzle aficionados.
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Ferris, the latest novel by two-time Newbery author Kate DiCamillo, embraces a world full of sorrow but ruled by love.
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Houses with a Story offers both a fascinating tour of storybook dwellings and a springboard to imagination.
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Janie shares her favorite books, many of which are featured in our Winter Book Fair.
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Final Word introduces the Winterton family, dictionary magnates with lots of money and plenty of secrets to hide.
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Charis in the World of Wonders is a richly satisfying novel of a young Puritan woman who learns much about the world and herself through hardship and perseverance.
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The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall series imagines the mystery-ridden education of a classic mystery writer.
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In the tradition of Susan Cooper, a lyrical, dark fantasy for mature middle grade readers.
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Authority vs. Anarchy: Opposites? Two sides of the same coin? Romans 13 reminds us to obey our governing (civic) authorities. Exodus 20 and Ephesians 6 remind us to obey our parental authorities. Certain people in the church are given spiritual authority over those they shepherd in their congregations. We’re all to obey the Lord as…
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Some re-issues actually improve on the original. Others, not so much . . .
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The lavishly-illustrated Arthur the Always King communicates the doomed majesty of the Arthurian legend.
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Themes of loving nature, loving one’s neighbor, and loving Truth are woven through Bright April, a story that gracefully handles racism and the dignity of each human in a middle grade book that was originally published in the 1940’s. It’s a story well-worth reading. Bright April by Marguerite De Angeli. Purple House Press, 88 pages.…
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A glorious story of heroism in which a mother’s deep love for her children shines brightly.
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My Brother Is Away offers an empathetic glimpse into what it’s like, from the child’s perspective, to have a brother (or sister) off in jail.
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What makes good gifts for book lovers besides more books (and infinite bookshelf space)? Here are some lovely things we’ve recently discovered for boys that would be perfect to wrap in brown paper and tie up with string.
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This will be my family’s 7th year of enjoying one of our favorite bookish Christmas traditions: the Icelandic Christmas Book Flood, or Jólabókaflóðið (“Jolabokaflod”). We have no Icelandic heritage, just a shared love of books (and chocolate!). As I wrote in 2018, this is a lovely, simple tradition that my family is able to keep…
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(Note: Betsy and I are indebted to Ethan Pettit, librarian and Children’s Literature professor from Covenant College, who enlightened us so much in seeing Christ in literature and taught us to discern Truth and Story.) “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein…” Psalm 24:1 (ESV) This verse…
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Welcome to month 1 of our Honey for a Child’s Heart Read Along! Not sure what we’re talking about? Find out more here. Normally, these discussions will be for members only, both Golden and Silver Key, but we’re sharing this with everyone this month to give you a sneak peek! Each month, some or all…
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The Islanders Series features three friends spending enlightening and adventure-filled summers on an island off the coast of South Carolina.
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Fans of Mr. Lemoncello’s world of puzzles and games will enjoy this story of how he got his start.
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Rip to the Rescue is a true-to-life World War II adventure featuring heroic teens and one heroic dog.
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Alice and her brother Thistle try to save a human’s farm in this sweet animal story by the author of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. Alice’s Farm: a Rabbit’s Tale by Maryrose Wood. Independently published, 2022. 285 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 8-10 Recommended For: Middle grades, ages 6-12 (note considerations below) Alice…
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Glass Slippers reimagines the Cinderella story through the eyes of a third stepsister, who is trying to sort truth from lies.
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The Velveteen Rabbit turns 100 There was once a velveteen rabbit . . . Once upon a time, there were three little rabbits and their names were. . . In your head did you just hear “Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter? (If your head is like mine, it was probably with a nice British accent!)…
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Back Porch Book Chat: A casual conversation about books. Our guest today is Megan Saben.
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The Pura Belpré award honors “Latinx writers and illustrators whose books portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience.” This year the ALA named one winner and four honor picture books for illustration. The winner is Vamos! Let’s Cross the Bridge by Raul the Third (colors by Elaine Bay). Versify (HMH), 2021, 38 pages. In…
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It’s time for our annual Newbery Buzz Series: a series we run each January in which we discuss books with “Newbery Buzz.” That is, books we’ve heard lots of “buzz” about on various children’s literature websites through the past year. No one knows which books have real “Newbery Buzz,” which books the actual Newbery committee…
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Flashlight Reads: Can’t-Put-‘Em-Down Books for the Kids (and Grown-ups) in Your Life Christmas break is one of those perfect, read-by-flashlight-under-the-covers breaks, isn’t it? Days are short, nights are long. There’s no homework, which means more fun reading time. If you’re looking for books that are hard to put down, books that practically beg readers to…
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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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Two heavyweights of the children’s book world collaborate on The Beatryce Prophesy, a quasi-medieval tale of treachery and hope.
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Homer, a literate homing pigeon, uses his unusual skills to solve a mystery, in this gentle story for young middle-graders.
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Resources we actually used Last summer in a post titled Just Serve Dinner, I shared some of the best resources we have enjoyed over the years, the ones that are an ongoing blessing to our family. Here are a few more that have pleasantly surprised me in how much I have enjoyed using them. I…
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Interesting and readable, American History by Thomas Kidd is an outstanding resource for high school Christian students and teachers. *American History by Thomas Kidd. B&H Academic, 2019. 704 pages. Reading Level: Adult, ages 16 and up Recommended For: Teens and Adults, ages 14 and up What seems inordinately significant in retrospect may not have seemed…
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Favorite audiobooks and narrators for your listening pleasure over the holidays (and road trips any other time of the year!)
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Thornwood recasts the tale of Sleeping Beauty as a castle-bound mystery, with twists and turns at every corner.
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Three nonfiction picture books offer examples of faithful service, reconciliation, and self-sacrifice.
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Her scientific ambitions were dashed, but Beatrix Potter turned the natural world into beloved art.
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Perhaps you have watched the stunning new Mulan movie (available for free streaming now on Disney+). The gorgeous cinematography would have been lovely on the big screen. My teens loved the animated film and were eager to see the update. My husband and I enjoy movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, so we were also…
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Janie and Betsy peer into their crystal ball and try to outguess the 2021 Newbery Committee before the big announcement on Monday.
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The Barnabus Project, Our Little Kitchen, and I Am Every Good Thing are all contenders for this year’s Caldecott award for illustration
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We’re continuing our annual “Newbery Buzz” series today with round #2 for 2021. (We discussed King and the Dragonflies earlier this month.) As a reminder, we do not know which books the actual Newbery committee is seriously considering; we discuss books we’ve been hearing lots of “buzz” about in the children’s literature channels and try…
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13 year olds: ready to be done with middle school, but not yet in high school. Officially “teenagers,” but plenty of maturing still to do. 13 year olds straddle the “middle grades” and “young adult” line, not quite ready for some of the more mature content in many YA books but anxious to move out…
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Three critically-acclaimed picture books tackle big subjects like the size of the universe, the scope of humanity, and the power of words
Read MoreWant a screen-free activity for your family? Do your kids love getting actual mail in the mailbox? Not just junk mail or another bill for Mom or Dad? Wouldn’t it be great to get an ad-free magazine in the mail, tailored for Christian families and educators? With content for all ages, from preschool to adult?…
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Gyo Fujikawa When you grow up with an author/illustrator’s books, they become part of your definition of “home” or “reading” or “friend.” Gyo Fujikawa is one of those authors for me. I remember Oh, What a Busy Day in particular. Gyo Fujikawa’s Books What makes Fujikawa’s books memorable? For starters, she was one of the…
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An independent-minded young teen seeks adventure and finds maturity in Gold Rush Girl.
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In this classic survival story, Karana learns to fend for herself on an island after her tribe leaves for the mainland. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2010 (originally published 1960). 192 pages. Reading Level: Ages 10-12 Recommended For: Ages 10 and up Karana’s tribe has lived on…
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The Aggie Morton series introduces young readers to a young Agatha Christie, already solving crimes in her seaside home town.
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A factual and tongue-in-cheek resource for dinosaur fans, with a distinct evolutionary slant.
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Ever wondered what it’s like to listen in on our conversations? Here’s a chance! Hayley, Janie, and Betsy talk about some of their favorite books from the past year. Books That Made Us Cry Hayley: I think the older I get, the more books make me cry. This past year a couple books stand out: Pay…
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BOOKLISTS 10 Popular Book Lists Mystery Books for All Ages Learning to Lead Picture Book Biographies Here Be Dragons: Fantasy/Sci-Fi List Series Fiction for Tweens and Teens Picture Book Retro Reads Love & Laughter Book List Sports Books that Pack a Punch Mega List of Bible Reviews Books About Racism for Children and Teens Stay…
Read More2019 in Review: Popular posts, starred reviews, and reflections.
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While Artemis Fowl speeds toward Mars, the Fowl Twins step to starring roles in their own adventures in this page-turning series opener.
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Betsy interviews Sarah Dempsen, mom and co-director of an after school program on the Yakama Reservation.
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A displaced Muslim girl adjusts to America as a second, “Other Home” in this well-written verse novel.
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Song of the Abyss is a sequel that does not disappoint and yet succeeds in its own right as a standalone novel.
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Last week, in our newsletter, we asked our readers what books they thought of when they saw this poem by Jack Prelutsky. Here are some of their answers, combined with some of our own: Dragons The Hobbit by J.R. R. Tolkien The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis The Reluctant Dragon by…
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