Crunch

Bethany, you are sooooo lucky, Holly exclaimed. “You have a good shot at winning the title if the waves are pumping.” “Except, I am not sure I should go” Bethany countered.

Book: Crunch by Rick Bundschuh, Zondervan Publishing, 2007

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 12-19

Subjects: Trust in God, Missions, Promises, Poverty

Summary: Mexico… here we are! Bethany and her youth group have arrived in Mexico and are excited about all the opportunities ahead of them. Then they hit reality. Their hearts begin to break as they meet children who are too skinny, covered in dirt, and have lice. Their home is the local garbage dump. Bethany’s heart is drawn towards one child in particular, a little boy with a dream of a father. When a tragic accident happens to him and a major opportunity happens for Bethany at the same time, a very difficult choice must be made.

Notes: This series is based off a real life person – Bethany Hamilton, the surfer girl who lost her arm in a shark attack, then went on to become a pro-surfer. It combines fictional elements with true elements of Bethany’s real life adventures. The focus is on an ordinary teen girl who has a heart for God and a heart for the hurting.

In this book, Bethany and Holly and the others in the youth group get a glimpse of how much they have to be thankful for when they visit an orphanage and dump in Mexico and have the opportunity to serve the “least of these”. Bethany also learns a lesson about priorities when a good opportunity for her would mean breaking a promise to someone she’ll never see again anyway. 

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 25:40 - “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’