The Wind, The Road And The Way

“You will be privileged to watch the apostles as they boldly carry to the rest of the world the good news of what Jesus has done,” Gillamon explained, lifting his arm, “to the north, the south, the east and the west. Then it will be up to you to make sure their story is told for future generations. You will see many unexpected acts of the apostles. Perhaps the greatest act will be one new apostle turning from a murderous tyrant into the model of what a Christ follower should be.

Book: The Wind, the Road and the Way (The Epic Order of the Seven) by Jenny L. Cote, Living Ink Books, 2014

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 10-15

Subjects: Biblical History, Trials, Trust in God

Summary: Jesus is alive! He has risen from the dead! And He has promised a helper, the Holy Spirit to come and fill the terrified apostles. As usual Max, Kate, Al, Liz, Nigel, Gillamon, and Claire are right in the middle of everything going on. Comforting the hurting, sending important messages, and bringing people together, the animals are doing all they can to serve their risen Savior. It’s a hard time as persecution breaks out against the apostles, but an exciting time as the Gospel starts to spread around the world.

Notes: Delightful, playful, entertaining, educational, enlightening – all of these words describe this book well. It covers Biblical history during the time of Acts. It does a great job sticking to the truth of the story as recorded in the Bible while adding entertaining commentary from the animals. This particular book shows how God uses even persecution to spread the news of His salvation around the world. It shows how God can change any heart, even that of a murderer. It shows the importance of understanding and memorizing Scripture when sharing the Gospel. And it shows the importance of waiting on God’s timing. Overall, this story does a great job teaching kids how to follow God when bad things happen in a fun, enjoyable way.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Acts 17:26 - From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free review copy of the book! I enjoyed it and now my husband is too!

Truth Runner

Why can’t I just go back in time, to life before this all happened? Why can’t I just forget about things, pretend none of this is real?

Book: Truth Runner (Son of Angels, Jonah Stone) by Jerel Law, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2013

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 12-16

Subjects: Spiritual warfare, Prayer, God’s will, Loss

Summary: Jonah is still reeling from his loss. He can’t seem to find his footing again. He’s become a star back in Peacefield on the basketball team by taking advantage of his nephilim characteristics. But he can’t stop seeing the fallen. He can’t stop his memories. He can’t forget who he is. Meanwhile Eliza and Jeremiah and his friends back at school are in need of him but he’s too busy trying to forget who he is and ignore the reality of the world around him to be much help. It seems the fallen have won after all. And they are thrilled! There is plenty of damage they can do if Jonah is unwilling to fight them!

Notes: The fourth in the Sons of Angels series, Truth Runner explores the “what if there were humans that were part angel” question. Unlike many books exploring this concept however, this series is based very strongly on the truths of Scripture without as much speculation beyond the idea that nephilim could still be around in today’s world. This book focuses on Jonah’s struggle after the death of a loved one. He has completely abandoned his faith, his family, his very identity in his anger and hurt. The question is what will it take for Jonah to accept his trial and turn back to God. Due to these issues it makes the book seem as though it’s for a bit more mature audience than the first two. However, this book is centered truly around the truths of Scripture and because of that, I highly recommend it.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Job 2:10 – Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

Shadow Chaser

M’chala, the one in charge of sickness, was the one afflicting Jonah. He was sure of it. No wonder there was no picture there. All he remembered from his dream was a dark shadow. But his affliction how had a cause, and somehow, as awful as this creature must be, Jonah began to feel more focused. If M’chala was responsible, Jonah had to find him. Before the Fallen harmed him again. And before the Fallen hurt anyone else around him. Or worse.

Book: Shadow Chaser (Son of Angels, Jonah Stone) by Jerel Law, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2013

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 12-16

Subjects: Spiritual warfare, Prayer, God’s will, Suffering

Summary: What would you do if the Fallen Angel of sickness and disease singled you out as his target? Boils appear on your skin, you feel sick and weak and pass out, you fail important tests due to lack of strength, and worst of all, it doesn’t seem to be just you that is targeted. Jonah is finding out! M’chala is sending affliction his way and it’s not going to let up until Jonah either breaks apart completely or finds a way to conquer this evil one.

Notes: The third in the Sons of Angels series, Shadow Chaser explores the “what if there were humans that were part angel” question. Unlike many books exploring this concept however, this series is based very strongly on the truths of Scripture without as much speculation beyond the idea that nephilim could still be around in today’s world. This book focuses on Jonah being tested in his faith and his focus. He has proved to be a powerful force against the evil ones and because of that has been targeted. Not only does he face the physical afflictions, but when he makes foolish choices his friends seem to abandon him, leaving him feeling alone. Then as he and the other quarterlings take final exams to show what they have learned in their training, Jonah’s struggles leave him falling behind in all of the competitions. Then at the end, the final attack comes – someone else, someone close to Jonah is targeted and dies, leaving Jonah in an even greater struggle than he has ever faced in his life. This does leave the story feeling a bit unfinished, the issues not resolving until the next book. Due to these issues it makes the book seem as though it’s for a bit more mature audience than the first two. However, this book is centered truly around the truths of Scripture and because of that, I highly recommend it.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Psalm 26:2 – Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;

Home By Another Way

“What I don’t get is how you can be so into Christ when it comes to your own life and then totally forget about Him when it comes to everybody else.” She was by now inches from my nose. “How can you be such a good Christian about diving for Pete’s sake and then be such a jerk about people?”

Book: Home by Another Way by Nancy Rue, Crossway Books, 1991

Genre: Realistic Fiction/Sports Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 13+

Subjects: Friendship, Family Relationships, Divorce, Prejudice, Love For Others

Summary: Diving is much more than a sport for Josh. It’s the last hope he has of earning his father’s love. Since his parents divorced Josh has been working on finding some way to gain the attention of his father. Diving seems to have done it – his father is at least forking over all the cash to get private lessons from a professional. But he’s still absent, only his money is making an appearance. If Josh gets far enough though, that is sure to change. So while the other boys his age chase after girls or fancy cars to parties, Josh pursues diving. He never imagined anything could change let, especially not a young boy looking up to him. Yet when Phong enters his life, rather, forces himself into Josh’s life, things begin to change. An emergency right before the most crucial moment of his career could change his entire world.

Notes: The author famous for her stories for teen girls has written a beautiful story for boys. Like all her other books, the spiritual elements run deep in this story. Josh finds his very identity in diving. He sees it as what God wants him to do. Then when God starts bringing people into his life that force Josh to love them more than his sport, he gains a much greater understanding of God and what He wants of Josh. This book deals a lot with identity and how to find an identity solely in Christ rather than what a broken family has shaped. Both Josh and his sister struggle with relationships due to the example set by their dad. It also gets a little bit into prejudice as the little boy Josh befriends is a poor boy from another culture and Josh realizes he has a lot of misconceptions about the culture and the people from it.

I highly recommend this book to all young boys!

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Corinthians 1:27-30 – But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Doon

I had two whole weeks to explore this magical kingdom and convince the people of Doon we weren’t witches. Fourteen days to try to find out why Jamie MacCrae had been visiting me in the modern world, and why he now looked at me like I might pull out an AK-47 and go Call of Duty on his beloved people. Three hundred and thirty-six hours to prove to my handsome prince that I wasn’t evil incarnate. Suddenly, two weeks didn’t seem like nearly enough time.

Book: Doon (A Doon Novel) by Carey Corp and Lori Langdon, Blink (Zondervan Publishers), 2013

Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural

Target Audience: Girls 16+

Subjects: Magic, Witchcraft, Prayer, Dating Relationships, Friendship, Family Relationships

Summary: Vee knows it’s real. Somewhere deep inside she has no doubt that the legend of Doon is true. And so dragging her best friend Kenna with her, she crosses over the bridge wearing the rings left to Kenna by her aunt. Finding themselves in this magical land isn’t exactly all she had hoped for though. It turns out that the boy of her dreams is actually prince and very soon to be king of Doon, and worse still, wears a mantle of heavy responsibility for his entire kingdom, a mantle so heavy he will not let himself take a risk on love. Kenna on the other hand has no problem getting a guy. The prince’s brother happens to be quite in love with her and makes no secret of it. But she’s not convinced her future is in Doon – she has big dreams and has just achieved key steps towards those dreams back in America. And then there’s the whole issue of most of the kingdom thinking the girls are witches since they showed up right when other things started to go wrong. Two weeks is all the girls get before the bridge to the rest of the world opens back up and they must decide to stay or go forever.

Notes: Doon is a new spin-off on the legend of Brigadoon or Bridge ‘o Doon, the story that a village in Scotland, in an attempt to fight off the evil influence from the rest of the world, prayed and was blessed with the ability to disappear into the mist and only make contact with the world every hundred years. In this story, characters can come and go from Brigadoon during that time as well as any time if they are wearing one of two magical rings. This story is very focused on the romance aspects. Both girls have just graduated from high school, both come from broken or at least single-parent homes and are looking to control their own destinies. Doon is a world that encourages the exact opposite. They have a strong belief in magic and destiny and some form of ultimate-being. The spiritual elements are hinted at all throughout this book. The two girls wonder and doubt and consider the possibility of the power of prayer and how much God is or should be involved in their lives. One of the people in Doon explains their views that the civilization’s “Creator” or “Protector” is outside the laws of nature and does amazing things that for lack of a better understanding, people call “magic”. Everyone in Doon attends church and to the girls, the princes seem to hold a strong faith. Kenna assumes God would be willing to cry over the death of one person because he is such a good person. But the book is careful to not make anything too clear. They never outright say that God is the “Protector” of Doon or that putting one’s trust in Him for salvation is necessary. The “Protector” is a benevolent, powerful being, but not necessarily involved in their day to day lives at all, more just there for emergencies.
Also, the characters show very little conviction that sex should be reserved for marriage. The girls outright discuss if/who they have/should have sex with in the beginning. Then in Doon, Vee comes very close to having sex with the prince. What stops her isn’t a belief that it should be reserved for marriage, but a conviction that she isn’t the one he should love. Yet the very next morning she teases and tempts him to try again.

Overall, this is an entertaining story, but there isn’t much of spiritual value in it. Everything is just left in vague, unclear terms, leaving the reader to just form their own opinions rather than presenting the Scripture.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

James 4:13-17 – Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.

Aquifer

I scramble forward, wanting only to be the same, loathing the feeling of Other. I was pursued down. Now I am pursued on the ascent. I am Luca. I am special. And for that, I am cursed.

Book: Aquifer by Jonathan Friesen, Blink (Zondervan Publishers), 2013

Genre: Speculative, Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 14+

Subjects: Family Relationships, Truth, Hope

Summary: Rats. Just what everyone dreams of meeting someday right? Luca is the deliverer of his people as was his father before him and so on. Once a year the deliverer must venture underground to continue the deal with the Rats – light in exchange for water. They are the only ones who know the route. But Luca isn’t supposed to be doing it yet. He’s only sixteen after all. His father will be the deliverer for many more years. Or that’s the idea at least. Except for this year something goes wrong and his father doesn’t return from his trip underground. That’s when Luca begins his own journey, a journey of discovery, a journey to the truth – the truth about the Rats, about the world leaders, about the land, and about himself.

Notes: Set way in the future, after severe world wars all emotion has been outlawed and attempted to be even bred out of them. But Luca is different, he is “Other”. And it is up to him to be the deliverer, but when he makes his first trip down, rather than going as the deliverer of his people or to negotiate with the Rats, he goes to try to find his missing father and learns that most everything he has believed all his life is a lie. Soon with the help of an uncle he didn’t know he had, an aunt he didn’t know he had, a rebel who wasn’t supposed to be alive, and a beautiful young girl he begins an attempt to save the whole world, not just the people on top, but the Rats as well. As for spiritual elements, there is something hinted to all throughout the story. A secretly discovered book (all books and reading have been banned) is hinted to maybe be “the” book. People called

“Wishers” pray and wait on fulfillment of a prophecy unknown to Luca. At the end, a character sings Amazing Grace and an entire mob of angry people are stopped at the sound. But nothing is made clear, just hinted at. In fact, the characters multiple times refer to “The Fates” watching out for them, rather than God. The ending does leave room for a sequel so there’s a chance that the next book will cover more. The book does get quite violent – many people die, characters see large quantities of dead bodies and the death of some characters is descriptive.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 2/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Romans 1:25 – They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.

Thank you to Booksneeze for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Stone of Destiny

What could a boy like Morgan do against that kind of power? Nothing. Not for the time being, anyway. But one of these days, he would throw off the shackles of his bondage; one of these days he’d wield a power greater than anything they’d ever imagined. One of these days he’d show them all. He’d do it through alchemy. Mercury, sulfur, salt.

Book: The Stone of Destiny: A Novel by Jim Ware, David C. Cook, 2011

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 14-18

Subjects: Cancer, Friendship, Loss, Power, Faith

Summary: Cancer. The most feared, most dreaded word is what Morgan’s mom has. Now it’s all the more important that he continue his experiments and get a hold of the Stone of Destiny! He has to heal his mom! But the price for the stone is high. And Morgan isn’t the only one involved. His best friend, Eny, is having some troubles of her own. Sitting in her favorite spot by the sea one day, she finds herself in a new world and soon realizes she is the girl referenced in a prophecy concerning the very stone Morgan wants so bad. Now Morgan faces a difficult decision – just how far will he go to get his hands on this power?

Notes: The first in the Stone of Destiny series, this book weaves together a legend starting back in the Bible times at Bethel where Jacob laid his head on a stone and saw the ladder to heaven. It presents the stone as almost a character, with a will of its own and a desire to “return” to its proper land from where it was stolen. The idea is presented that this stone does hold power, but that it will cause more pain than healing if it is not where it belongs. It can not be held on to for one’s own use – despite what Morgan believes. The story gets kind of complicated as it pieces together the different worlds and people groups and time periods telling of the history of the stone. The spiritual element is focused on faith. Morgan’s dad was into alchemy as well before he died and passed his research on to Morgan, believing it contained the ability to miraculously heal. Morgan’s mom insists that our faith should be in God not alchemy, not science, not magic, nothing but Christ. Morgan refuses to believe in it, wanting to take control for himself rather than trust God to take care of him. In the end, his mother is healed – miraculously by God – after Morgan has surrendered his battle. So Morgan finally learns to put his faith in God alone. He also learns that God does it because of His grace, not because Morgan did things right. Morgan can’t figure out why his mom got healed despite everything he did wrong. His mom tells him that it is because of God’s grace, not because of anything earned. Overall, the spiritual elements are there, it is the theme running through the story, it’s just that it gets lost in the midst of the legend/history of the stone sometimes – it just simply gets hard to follow. But it does have a strong message.  Also of note, the end of this book leaves a bit of the story unfinished, but a second book is scheduled for publication.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Matthew 13:15 – For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Skye’s Final Test

“Joey Klingerman’s coming again? Why are you sorry?”

‘Cause I have a slight problem with him, that’s all,” she said weakly.

“A problem?” Chad asked.

“Joey bugs her to death!” Morgan put in her two cents’ worth.

Book: Skye's Final Test (Keystone Stables, No. 6) by Marsha Hubler, Zonderkidz, 2005

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subject: Adoption, Foster Case, Special Needs, Showing love to others
Summary: As far as Skye is concerned, the summer is ruined from pretty much the beginning. The class they’re doing for special needs kids for the second summer in a row includes a boy with Downs Syndrome who will not leave Skye alone. He’s proclaimed her his girlfriend and loudly announces his love for her to anyone who will listen. He causes Skye no end of embarrassment in front of her friends and interrupts her at just the perfect wrong times – even in front of the popular kids from school! If that’s not bad enough, Skye is the one assigned to work with him every day! This is going to be one miserable summer if something doesn’t change!
Notes: In this story, Skye is the once again turning around and serving someone else. She’s a Christian and no longer the troubled orphan who came to the Chambers foster program. This time it’s not another tenable girl, but a young boy that Skye is trying to reach out to, one that she can’t stand. Mom C. encourages Skye to show God’s love to him, Morgan and Mom C. encourage her to turn to God for strength. Instead, Skye keeps trying to do things her way – and fails – over and over – until she starts letting God change her heart.
One thing to note is that at this point the series is not showing the character growing. They hint at events that happened that don’t fit the timeline within the rest of the series and there is no mention of any of the others who have been with the Chambers. It makes it so each book is complete in itself, but doesn’t fit together as a series as well. However, the spiritual issues are very much covered in this book as with the others in the series. This is the sixth book in the Keystone Stables series. Also note that this the first six books in this series were republished under new titles - the series name stayed the same but the individual books were retitled.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 Peter 1:22 – Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

Whispering Hope

Wanda shot another sour look at Skye, more hateful than the last. “Horse breath,” she growled. Skye gave Wanda a forced smile and sent up a quick prayer. God, I’m going to need You big time with this one.

Book: Whispering Hope (Keystone Stables) by Marsha Hubler, Zonderkidz, 2007

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subject: Adoption
Summary: And the newest foster child is Wanda, a knife branding pool shark from the gang in the next town. Nightmares, smoking in the barn and a determination to get the attention of the boy Skye likes. This is gonna be one long year is Wanda doesn’t come around! She’s not the only rebel around though. The Chambers have gotten a new horse – a wild one. Skye and Chad have taken some classes in horse whispering and are attempting to convince him that he really does want to let people get close to him. Will either of these rebels come around?
Notes: In this story, Skye is the once again turning around and serving someone else. She’s a Christian and no longer the troubled orphan who came to the Chambers foster program. Another teen girl comes to live at the Chambers and Skye and Morgan have to reach out and show her that God loves her and so does everyone in the house. It also covers the issue of teen crushes again. Skye is still only thirteen so when she sees someone else making a move towards the boy she is not dating, but wants to date someday she struggles with jealousy. One thing to note is that at this point the series is not showing the character growing. They hint at events that happened that don’t fit the timeline within the rest of the series and there is no mention of any of the others who have been with the Chambers. It makes it so each book is complete in itself, but doesn’t fit together as a series as well. However, the spiritual issues are very much covered in this book as with the others in the series. This is the seventh book in the Keystone Stables series. Also note that this the first five books in this series were republished under new titles - the series name stayed the same but the individual books were retitled.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi

Job 24:13 – "There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths.

Darien's Rise

As they rode through the forest, Kyle wondered, "Where is this place? Have I stumbled onto some strange section of Odyssey?" They splashed through a small brook and emerged into an open field. Something in the sky caught Kyle's attention: a brightness more luminous than any full mood he had ever seen. He looked a second time, not believing what he was seeing. The sky held two moons. One was large and white, the other nearly half the size and slightly more orange. "I'm not in Odyssey anymore." he thought.

Book: Darien's Rise, by Paul McCusker, Tommy Nelson Publishing 1999
  (Kindle version)
(Book) (Audio episodes)  
Genre: Allegory
Target Audience: Boys and Girls 12+
Subject: Response to God's Call
Summary: Kyle and Anna crash through the boards in an old house and find themselves in a new land called Marus. Here they discover they have special gifts and have been called by the Unseen One for a purpose. They arrive in the midst of a power struggle between the current king and the one called by the Unseen One to be the next king. They align themselves with the future king and use their gifts to help him. But all is not easy, temptations and danger abound in this new land. And how will they ever get home again?
Notes: This is a series from Adventures in Odyssey. Kyle and Anna are residents of Odyssey. This story is also allegorical in that it is an allegorical telling of the story of King Saul and King David. The story begins after Saul has begun to feel threatened by David and continues until Saul's death. Some parts of it are very emotional or intense and so I recommend it for 12 and up. It is also a pretty thick book for young readers - 186 pages. Also, this has recently been turned into an audio drama by Focus on the Family and aired with other Adventures in Odyssey episodes. In conclusion, this is a very well done story. It is a fascinating way to look at stories of the Bible and challenges kids to see how God has chosen them and ask them to question whether or not they are willing to serve Him with their gifts.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi

Acts 13:22 – After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: 'I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.'

Opportunity Knocks Twice

Her eyes were closed, the lids beautiful, translucent and glowing in the soft light. Then she opened them slowly, gazed at him, and they leaned into another kiss, this time longer and sweeter, promising more to come. Then she nuzzled her face into his neck, and he squeezed her tighter against him, wanting nothing else, wanting to be nowhere else in light than right here, right now. “How can I resist this? And why would I want to?”

Book: Opportunity Knocks Twice (Brio Girls) by Lissa Halls Johnson, Focus On The Family Publishing/Tyndale House Publishers, 2002

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 13-21

Subjects: Sex, Attraction, Dating Relationships, Friendship

Summary: Two hot girls – how’s a guy supposed to pick? Jessica’s got the body, man does she have the body! And she’s easy. She’ll give a guy the touches, the physical stuff. But Hannah? There’s just something about her… she’s hot too, but she says she won’t date. Won’t even accept a ride home from school! But what’s inside shines through so brightly Tyler can’t help but be seriously attracted to it. His group of female friends since elementary school and his mom really hesitate to see Tyler get all caught up in Jessica again, but they’ve never liked her. Tyler knows she has some good qualities the girls can’t see. But is the correct question really which girl should he date? Or maybe the question is a bit more complex than that… Tyler had better figure it out soon or he’s going to have not just two, but six females mad at him!

Notes: This book is the third one in the Brio Girls series, a series put out by Focus On The Family about five friends as they go through their last two years of highschool. Each book boldly addresses a major question that Christians might ask about faith and following God. These books don’t make light of the struggles or give pat answers. It shows very realistic characters wrestling with God. I highly recommend all of the book in this series! This book deals with not just the issue of dating, but overall attraction and how a godly guy should treat a girl. Tyler is a very normal teenage boy with all the attraction to girls that comes with it. He dreams of going far physically with hot girls. But his faith calls him to a higher standard. He has to figure out what it means to be a godly guy and how to treat the girls he likes.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

2 Timothy 2:22 – Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Teamwork at Camp Tioga

Jonathan’s the only hearing-impaired camper we have this year. We always plan to have at least two deaf children, but the other deaf boy who wanted to come had to have his tonsils out last week. Jonathan’s parents decided to send Jonathan anyway. They told me he’s used to being alone. He’s only eight, he hates girls, and I hear he’s a rascal.”

Book: Teamwork at Camp Tioga (Keystone Stables, No. 4) by Marsha Hubler, Zonderkidz, 2005

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 14-19
Subject: Adoption
Summary: “Master of Disaster” seems to be a slightly better term for this little boy than just “rascal”. If he’s not causing his horse to take off because he’s determined to ride English style on a Western trained horse, he’s throwing firecrackers into the campfire or he’s running away and disappearing or he’s starting a food fight. And this delightful little boy is all Skye’s responsibility! She’s the one who connected with him, who he occasionally listens to and she’s one of the few people on site who knows sign language. If Jonathan wasn’t enough trouble, there’s Chad – the boy Skye really likes. All of a sudden, Skye isn’t the only girl who likes him and she’s no longer sure Chad likes her as much as he likes this new girl!
Notes: In this story, Skye is the one turning around and serving someone else. She’s a Christian and no longer the troubled orphan who came to the Chambers foster program. She and her friends go to work at a camp for special needs kids over the summer. Skye has to learn how to keep loving when someone continually rejects your love and continually disobeys what you tell them to do. Basically, she has to show the same love to a little kid that the Chambers showed to her. But it’s not an easy lesson. The book shows just how hard it is to keep going when you feel you aren’t making a difference. It also covers the issue of teen crushes. Skye is only thirteen so when she sees someone else making a move towards the boy she is not dating, but wants to date someday she struggles greatly with jealousy. In the end she has to learn to not throw away a friendship for a supposed reason for jealousy. And she is challenged multiple times by her sister to not lose focus. She’s not supposed to be here for boys, she’s supposed to be here to serve. The spiritual issues are very much covered in this book as with the others in the series. This is the fourth book in the Keystone Stables series.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi

Galatians 5:13 – You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Andi Unexpected

“This is it!” He wrote on the first page, THE CASE OF THE FIRST ANDORA. And under that he added, BOGGS AND CARTER INVESTIGATIONS. He grinned. “We’ll list all our clues in here and solve the case.

Book: Andi Unexpected (An Andi Boggs Novel) by Amanda Flower, Zonderkidz, 2013

Genre: Mystery

Target Audience: Girls 10-14

Subjects: Prayer, Death of a loved one, sibling relationships, friendship

Summary: Andi’s parents are gone, died on one of their many scientific expeditions. Thankfully, their aunt is quite willing to take Andi and her sister in. And even more wonderful, there’s a new friend with just as much of a curiosity as Andi who lives next door and when she starts cleaning the attic of her new home, she discovers a mystery just waiting to be solved! Behind an old wallpapered over door is a trunk with a doll and some baby clothes in it. The trunk is labeled Andora Bogg – Andi’s name! No one seems to know much about this distant relative but Andi and neighbor are determined to find out. No mystery is going to hold down these two detectives!

Notes: The first in the Andi Boggs series, Andi Unexpected introduces the characters, sets up the conflict between Andi and her older sister and builds a friendship between Andi and her neighbor. It shows two young girls struggling, not only with the death of their parents, but with the inadequacies left by their parents’ focus on scientific discoveries rather than them. There is very little spiritual elements to be found in the story. They do attend church, but there is not discussion of why it’s good to do so, Andi’s just going to meet someone there that might help solve the mystery. There is also a mention of prayer, but Andi says she stopped praying the day her parents died. Then at the most suspenseful part of the story, Andi tosses up a prayer again and this time gets what she wants, but there’s no recognition of that.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Psalm 69:13 – But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.

Thank you to Booksneeze for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.