My Life As A Torpedo Test Target

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a pretty decent swimmer. In fact, during the last couple of days, I’d even gotten the hang of using the face mask and scuba tank. It’s just when you put the possibility of anything going wrong and me, Wally McDoogle, in the same room (or ocean(, the chances of something catastrophic happening are pretty high. It’s like a law or something. If you’re looking for a disaster, just make sure I’m around.

Book: My Life as a Torpedo Test Target (The Incredible Worlds of Wally McDoogle #6) by Bill Myers, Word Publishers, 1994

Genre: Adventure, Comedy

Target Audience: Boys 11-15

Subjects: Greed

Summary: Sunken Pirate Treasure! Wally, Wall Street and Opera have joined a crew searching for the treasure! In WWII an old sub was sunk and at some point, someone stole some gold and hid it in that sub, then promptly died. Now the treasure is in a hidden sub, supposedly guarded by a prehistoric monster known as “The Stinger”. Wally and the rest of the crew want to find that gold and become rich. They are calculating all they could do with that much money. Unfortunately, greed comes with a high price. Wally’s crew isn’t the only one searching for the treasure. To beat the other crew, Wally with have to take some risky moves – which could be a problem considering we are talking about Wally McDoogle – the boy highly talented at clumsiness and causing disasters.

Notes: The Wally McDoogle series focuses on a twelve year old boy that is impressively clumsy. He calls himself a “dork-oid”, someone he describes like this: “While everyone else is wearing hot new fashions, we’re sporting frozen-oldie hand-me-downs. While everyone else has these terrific put downs, we usually say something stupid or, worse yet, polite.” Whenever an opportunity for adventure comes up, Wally finds a way to accidentally get himself into trouble. In the process he learns some lesson from the Bible.

In My Life As A Torpedo Test Target, Wally discovers just how serious of consequences can come from greed.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Luke 12:15 – Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Sarah And The Lost Friendship

Sarah heard Teacher sigh. “I haven’t wanted to pry. Whatever it is, these little Christians seem to be pretty thorough in their hating. Remember the old saying, ‘Behold how they hate one another?’ Would you have supposed that cherishing grudges was a Christian virtue>” She laughed as she spoke, but Sarah didn’t feel like laughing.

Book: Sarah and the Lost Friendship ( Prairie Adventure Series ) by Margaret Epp, Victor Books, 1970

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 11-14

Subjects: Friendship, Jealousy, Forgiveness

Summary: It’s wonderful attending school with your best friend. Sarah and Susan have a great time together. When Sarah’s older sister marries Susan’s older brother and starts to show sisterly kindness towards Susan, Sarah begins to feel the stirrings of jealousy. When Susan’s mother insults her multiple times and even makes accusations against her to her own mother, Sarah starts to think maybe Susan isn’t her friend after all. When Susan implies that some of the girls are school are only being nice to Sarah because they want attention from another of her big brothers Sarah decides that settles it. Susan just won’t be her friend any longer!

Notes: Sarah and the Lost Friendship is the third in the Prairie Adventure Series. This book was originally published in hardcover under the title “The Princess Rides A Panther”. That title is based off of a section in the book where Sarah, who’s dad’s nickname for her is Princess, compares the poem A Lady From The Tropic of Cancer Rides A Panther, to her unforgiveness of her friend. Sarah’s mother, brother and teacher all try to help Sarah see that her attitude is not godly, but Sarah is too caught up in her hurt and anger to accept the truth. It’s not until she overhears her teacher pointing out how hateful these two Christian girls are, that she is willing to stop holding a grudge and forgive her friend.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Colossians 3:13 - Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

The Hidden Kingdom

It was her land, her world that was an illusion, she mused. A wizard’s fabrication. But not this. This was a piece of the actual world above. The world that was created ages ago, designed for humans to inhabit. The world she and her people were from and were meant to be a part of. As wonderful as the box had felt under her hands, moving to her will, this rock felt even more wonderful. For it spoke to her heart and soul. To her origins that cried out in her blood. She felt as if she had been wandering lost her whole life, looking for her true home. She knew now she had found it.

Book: The Hidden Kingdom (The Gates of Heaven Book 7) by C. S. Lakin, Living Ink Books, 2015

Genre: Fantasy

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 12-16

Subjects: Faith

Summary: Destruction. One site after another is being destroyed. The Gates of Heaven that were set up to protect the world from evil are crashing. Sha’kath the Destroyer and his gryphons have been loosed and are seeking out all seven of the Gates of Heaven to destroy them. What the keepers and kings and wizards can not figure out is why Heaven is allowing it. Perthin, King and Keeper of Elysia is told that he will be the last king and the last keeper. Perthin, Kael, Adin, Joran, his father and other wizards, and Justyn from Wentwater join together in an effort to find the seventh kingdom in hopes of finding out how to stop Sha’kath. Back during the time of Lael, when Heaven first set up the sites, one wizard managed to escape Sha’Kath’s attack by creating a city hidden inside a mountain. The city is now failing as the wizard is aging but the only hope of saving their world is a young girl with a curiosity about the outside world that could complete the destruction in one rash move. Heaven holds the answers to all, but finding them is more than just searching scrolls. The kingdom is hidden and yet within. And only when finding it will the answers be revealed.

Notes: Seventh and final in the Gates of Heaven series, a series that constantly reminds us that Heaven exists, that personifies Heaven, almost takes on the role of God Himself. “Heaven favors the honest and valiant” is an example of one of these.  This series is designed to be fairy tales that teach Scriptural truths in fantasy settings. The biggest spiritual element in this book is the incredible power of God’s love. All throughout the series, we have been introduced to sites where Heaven set up a gate and a keeper to guard against evil in the world. All ancient literature points to there being seven such sites, yet no one knows of the seventh. The seventh is apparently hidden – even more hidden than the site under the lake or the site inside the ice kingdom that no one can even see without knowing the secret to it, or the city that appears to have no entrance. At the end, the characters finally learn that this kingdom is hidden in their own hearts – it’s God’s kingdom – accessed through His love. That’s the huge element – the conclusion of the whole series. There’s another element in this book though – the discussion of whether or not to hide the truth for the sake of protecting the innocent. A wizard creates a city inside and under a mountain and casts a spell so the inhabitants of the city don’t even know there is an outside world to protect them from the extreme evil that was destroying everyone.

Overall, this story completes the series well. At one point I was hesitant about it in terms of spiritual elements – it seemed to imply that a powerful wizard could create – just like God – and was powerful enough to accomplish about anything. At the end though, it turned it back around to show how the power comes from Heaven. Here’s how they describe it: “She knew now what this sensation was. It was the same thing she had felt in her cell in the Destroyer’s fortress – the wellspring of love that had grown from a spark into a wildfire. But this wasn’t just the love she felt for her father, or that which she felt from him, however deep and pure and strong and enduring. No, this was another’s love, and it was far more pure and strong than any human’s love could ever be. It was more powerful than the burning orb in the sky. More powerful than a pounding waterfall or an avalanche of rocks. This was the source of all creation, what fueled and sustained not just the world around her but the whole of life, of existence. Every tiny particle of everything in and under heaven had this spark of life. Yet it was not only everywhere outside of her; it was also within. The wellspring of her life. The key to the kingdom.”
In conclusion: I highly recommend this entire series!

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Psalm 103:19 - The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.

Psalm 145:13 - our kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.

Sheep Tales

Gayla couldn’t believe his ears. Oh, they had been through their arguments; they had gone round and round. But it was so rare that Edgar wanted to listen. He liked to be the one doing all the talking. Perhaps he would question every little bit of the narrative and throw in nasty and sarcastic remarks to boot. Who could say? Gayla only knew he now had a chance to tell the Sheep Tales and he loved doing so.

Edgar rolled his eyes as Gayla began: “There are the stories that hold the mysterious key of hope that will last long after you and I are gone.”

Book: Sheep Tales: The Bible According to the Animals Who Were There (A Family Devotional Reader) By Ken Davis, Ken Davis Productions, 2001

Genre: Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 10+

Subjects: Bible History, Hope

Summary: A hurt raven, angry and bitter for years forms an unlikely friendship with a spotless sheep. When Gayla is selected for sacrifice, Edgar stops raging long enough to listen to why Gayla claims to have hope. Gayla tells him the stories that have brought him hope through the years – the stories of Arvid the platypus, Sub the elephant, Dandy the lion, Herman the sheep, Clarence the horse, Glubber the great fish, Earl the worm, Socrates the sheep and Sable the rabbit. Taking place over hundreds of years, these stories show how the Creator interacts with His creation and how He has a plan to rescue them from the sin that plagues their world.

Notes: The Sheep Tales is a retelling of some Bible stories as might be described if an animal had observed them. It’s also the story of how the animals’ lives were changed through the events that happened. All throughout the story it’s also the tale of how Gayla is trying to bring hope to Edgar. Edgar’s bitterness and pain over his mother’s death when he was young and his partial blindness has made him unable to believe in love. At the end of the story, Edgar is present at the death and resurrection of Christ and finally finds the hope Gayla had been sharing with him. The reading level is that of a ten year old or older, but it would make a great read-aloud for younger children as well.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Romans 5:5-8 – And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Thanks to my friend Katie for telling me I needed to read this and loaning me her copy!

Taken

“So what now?”

Oliver nodded. It was time to claim his role, to cement his authority as their leader. “Everything has happened very quickly. I’m sure it’s all as much a shock to you as it is to me,” Oliver said solemnly. “It’s going to take some time to digest it, but we have to act now if we want to rescue our parents.”

Book: Taken (Quest for Truth, Book 1) by Brock Eastman, Focus On The family, P & R Publishing, 2011

Genre: Science Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 12-16

Subjects: Sibling Relationships, Responsibility, Trust, Truth

Summary: Oliver went to the house that night out of impatience and frustration. But he was not the same boy when he returned to the spaceship. The responsibility for keeping his siblings alive and finding and rescuing his parents from an unknown enemy was now on his shoulders. And he was determined to do it to the best of his ability. But little siblings don’t always obey and things don’t always go the way you want them to. And when you don’t know who your enemy is, it’s hard to know how to trust. Maybe Tiffany can find answers in reading her parents’ journals. Maybe the twins’ encounter with the blue people won’t ruin everything. Maybe Oliver can figure out how to do all the things he hasn’t had time to learn at the Academy yet. Maybe they can all make it out alive. Maybe…

Notes: The first in a science fiction series set way in the future, Taken tells of a time when no one knows of the Bible. A line of it is discovered – a line promising eternal life. This is all the bad guys need to know. A book that tells the answers of eternal life is definitely worth destroying some lives in a pursuit to possess the answers. This first book in the series doesn’t actually contain any more spiritual elements than that. It just hints that there is something out there, something more. This first book is clearly setting up the rest of the series. I suspect the series overall will get a 5/5 rating. But in of itself, the first book just doesn’t have the spiritual elements.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 2/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

John 10:28 – I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed it!

The Golden Braid

Mother just didn’t understand what it was like to be young and to want to do things, to learn things, to meet new people. Mother was content to speak only with Rapunzel, to be always with her. What if she never did make a close friend? Was she destined to be alone with her mother until one of them died. To never marry or have children?

Book: The Golden Braid by Melanie Dickerson, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2015

Genre: Fairy Tale

Target Audience: Girls 16+

Subjects: Truth, Ethics, Love, Charity

Summary: Alone. That’s how Rapunzel feels most of the time. Her mother has denied her opportunities to get close to anyone. They move whenever someone begins to show too much interest in Rapunzel. No education for her outside of that she could scrounge out for herself. This move is different though. They are close to a big city. Opportunities can be found in a city that have never been available before – most importantly the opportunity to seek reading lessons. The opportunity comes in a surprising form though! On the road to the city, Rapunzel and her mother are attacked by a thief and then rescued by a knight – a highly educated knight… with an injury that will keep him from working for weeks! Carefully sneaking out of the house at just the right times, Rapunzel learns to read and opens her eyes to a world outside of the one her mother has created for her. When she finally finds the courage to break away, she learns that nothing is as she once thought and this knowledge places her in great danger.

Notes: The latest in the collection of Fairy Tales by Melanie Dickerson, The Golden Braid is a Rapunzel story. Like Rapunzel it has a girl kidnapped by a woman claiming to be her mother. Unlike Rapunzel, she is only locked in a tower for a short time. Rather than a prince, it’s a mere knight who has to come to her rescue. Due to her confined lifestyle, Rapunzel does not know all that much of Scripture. She knows what she has heard from some various parsons. Gerek has been able to actually read and even own Scripture. When Rapunzel is kidnapped, Garek fasts and prays and follows God’s leading to find her. Early on in the story he tells Rapunzel he is afraid of having a relationship with a woman due to his father killing his mother. She tells him that God can make him into any kind of man, no matter what his parents did. Rapunzel feels unloved but another woman shares how looking to a husband to fill our great need for love will not fill us. Only God can fill the ultimate need we have. She encourages Rapunzel to read Scripture and recognize God’s love written there.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

1 John 3:16 - This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I enjoyed it!

Mystery Rider

Kate tensed as the corner approached. After the long, sweeping curve, it took a couple of minutes to hit the straightaway on the far side. The light from the moon had increased, and the trees cast long, spiky shadows. Kate could still see the road all the way to the next corner, some distance ahead.

Not a thing moved along the entire stretch. The horse and rider had disappeared like a wisp of smoke on the wind.

Book: Mystery Rider (Horses and Friends) by Miralee Ferrell, David C. Cook, 2015

Genre: Horse Book, Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 10-14

Subjects: Friendship, Evangelism, Love for others,

Summary: It’s a gorgeous horse, but a very mysterious rider. Kate sees it out the back door one night and after some investigation she, Tori, Cole and Melissa learn that this rider comes out every night, riding this horse. Following her leads them to a farmhouse not too far away where they are scared off by the rider who has a good reason for the secrecy. All the while, Kate is wrestling with her doubts about Melissa. It seems Melissa no longer wants to bully Kate and Tori but wants to be friends with them. Kate isn’t sure she trusts Melissa after their history. The trouble is that her lack of trust could hurt Melissa as much as Melissa has hurt her. How is Kate going to sort out all the questions and find the truth?

Notes: A Horse For Kate is the third in the Horses And Friends series. In this third book Kate is wrestling with showing love to the least of these. The mystery rider is actually a person who has been hurt by the treatment of others. Kate has to put aside her fear to show kindness to this person. And she has to put aside her doubts about Melissa to show kindness to her. In fact, it’s not just kindness Melissa is lacking, it’s a relationship with Christ. Kate has to show her what it means to be a Christian and how to have a relationship with Christ. 

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer:  J:-)mi

1 Peter 3:15-16 – But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Silver Spurs

They couldn’t cancel the show, they just couldn’t! This might be their only opportunity to get included in the rated show. She was pretty sure they didn’t have they money to replace the fence of the jumps. Why did this have to happen now, when the show was so close?

Book: Silver Spurs (Horses and Friends) by Miralee Ferrell, David C. Cook, 2015

Genre: Horse Book, Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 10-14

Subjects: Friendship, Love for others,

Summary: Having her own horse is great, but Kate longs for even more. She wants to see the stables at the farm actually filled. She wants to have a lesson horse that her friend Tori can use. She wants a trainer on staff who can teach her and Tori and others how to ride better. And if all of that isn’t enough, she wants their stables to house a competition! Her little brother’s autism takes a lot of money and focus though. It’s hard for her parents to commit to something this huge. And even if she got her parents on board, there’s a lot more obstacles to overcome – including the girl who bullies Kate and Tori at school being in need of a place to stable her horse.

Notes: Silver Spurs is the second in the Horses And Friends series. In this second book Kate is struggling with selfishness. She wants a lot of things and is willing to be somewhat disrespectful to her parents to get what she wants. She also has to learn a lesson about prayer again. She writes off the idea of asking God for what she wants since some bad things are still in her life – like her brother’s autism. However, she then remembers that He actually gave her what she wanted last time –so He apparently is listening. The third issue is with showing love to the girl who bullies her. She encounters a situation where the bully is in a difficult situation and gets a picture of why she treats people the way she does. She then has a chance to do something really extreme to help.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer:  J:-)mi

Philippians 2:3 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves

A Horse For Kate

Dad sank onto the couch next to Mom. It’s not our business, honey. Capri belongs to Mr. Miller. If he decides that’s what is best, it’s not up to us to question his decision.”

Kate spread her arms wide. “But we could buy her!”

Dad shut his eyes. “We’ve discussed this before, Kate. I’m not going through it again. I’m sorry.”

“But Dad!”

“No more argument, Kate. You need to take care of your chores. I don’t want your work at the barn to interfere with your responsibilities at home. You promised to keep up, remember?”

“Yeah.” She scuffed her toe against the carpet, wanting to say more but knowing she shouldn’t. When Dad used that tone, any discussion was over. Finished. Done with. Nothing would change his mind. Not even an earthquake.

Book: A Horse for Kate (Horses and Friends) by Miralee Ferrell, David C. Cook, 2015

Genre: Horse Book, Realistic Fiction

Target Audience: Girls 10-14

Subjects: Obedience to parents, Prayer, Friendship

Summary: All she wants is a horse. Just one big, expensive, difficult to care for, horse. Ok, so Kate isn’t exactly thinking of it in those terms. But her parents are. First there was the move. That caused her to have to quit her riding lessons. Then there’s the fact that her little brother has severe autism and any extra money or focus needs to be poured into him. Kate is not feeling too thrilled with her parents right now. When an ad appears for someone to come clean a local stable in exchange for lessons, Kate leaps on the opportunity. There are just a couple small problem with it though: first, she hasn’t asked her parents about it yet. And second, the new friend she’s making who would come with her is uncertain about horses herself and has a mom who is terrified of them. At the rate things are going, Kate isn’t even going to see a horse, let alone own one!

Notes: A Horse For Kate is the first in the Horses And Friends series. In this first book, Kate is all focused on getting a horse of her own. She prays, asking God to give her the horse. She tries to convince her parents that having one is an essential. And she tries to get her new friend to be as into horses as she is. When things don’t go her way, she assumes God isn’t listening. A near disaster with her little brother changes her perspective a bit on what is actually important.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer:  J:-)mi

Psalm 37:3-6 – Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

Merchant Of Alyss

 “Legends have come to life around us!” The sage pointed north and east, to the ridge that separated them from the desolation. “A crimson mage appeared and destroyed the peace of ten centuries. A hero rose from the ranks of humans and joined the crimson mage in battle. The sky was blasted with flame and magic, such that we ourselves witnessed the event, fourteen days’ hard march from Emporis!” Caleb’s beard trembled with indignation and certainty. “I, Caleb, the Elder, tell you that a dragon has arrived! If it is a threat, the hero of Emporis will bring it down! And I, keeper of the Highland Lore, will bear witness to all the generations yet to come!”

Book: Merchant of Alyss (Legends of the Realm) by Thomas Locke, Revell Publishers, 2016

Genre: Speculative Fiction

Target Audience: Boys 18+

Subjects: Marriage, Attraction to opposite gender, Power, Direction In life

Summary: Every night the dragon appears in Hyam’s dreams. It appears to be attempting to communicate with him, but he doesn’t understand it. Some say it’s a clear threat, others a sign. Some doubt that a dragon could exist at all. A dragon isn’t all that is found though. Old scrolls, written in a language only Hyam can interpret, they contain spells for magic. Before long it becomes clear that a quest is needed. Hyam, Joelle and some of the others set out for a very distant land, a land few ever visit. Hyam relishes the feel of experiencing magic again as he touches the scrolls and is eager for the journey. A great danger, one very unexpected awaits them though. 

Notes: As with the first book, there aren’t any clear spiritual elements. Rather there are “morally good” elements. Some of those that are seen in this book are: battle for self-control, sacrifice, love, individual’s choice of being good or evil and finding power in something greater than yourself. One character feels strongly attracted to a man who is married to someone else and is told that there is a chance he could belong to her – no one knows or can predict the future. She is told to weigh carefully the consequences of choices she makes and taught to understand that with the position or authority she is being given, comes much responsibility. A character hurting over a loved one who is ill has to put aside his own hurt to focus on his mission to help save everyone else.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Proverbs 21:2 – All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

The Roman, The Twelve And The King

“As you go back in time to Jesus, watch Him, the Maestro, again. Watch as he carefully chooses his twelve instruments, tuning them to perfection in order to bring a full symphony of purpose into being. Once more feel the crescendo of His life symphony to its climatic end in the Passion… Feel the thrill of Messiah’s mighty encores, which has left believing audiences applauding ever since that day. You see, in order to truly make beautiful music, one must know the Subject well, and feel it deep in the soul.”

“And the subject is Messiah.” Nigel bowed humbly. “It will be an honor.”

Book: The Roman, the Twelve and the King (The Epic Order of the Seven) by Jenny L. Cote, Living Ink Books, 2012

Genre: Fantasy/Historical Fiction

Target Audience: Boys and Girls 10-15

Subjects: Biblical History, Salvation

Summary: Messiah. What greater theme for a piece of music could there be? Especially for an oratorio, or “ora-oreo” as Al calls it. The year is 1735 and the seven animals have been given the job of helping inspire the men who wrote The Messiah. Whether it be Kate providing the spark for a romance, writing a letter, Liz leaving a passage of Scripture open for Mr. Jennens to see in the morning, Nigel playing a mouse-sized violin, or attempting to eat someone out of house at home (Al’s specialty), the animals do their best to help provide the inspiration for Charles Jennens and George F. Handel to write the Messiah. Just when the five animals think they are making progress though, a disaster happens. Gillamon arrives and assures them that all is well, and the plans are simply different than they had thought. The creatures need further inspiration themselves and are sent back to the time of the Messiah to watch once more His ministry, death and resurrection.

Notes: Delightful, playful, entertaining, educational, enlightening – all of these words describe this series well. It covers Biblical history during the time of the Gospels. 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 powerful and loving our Messiah truly is. The reader gets to observe most of the events of the Gospels through the eyes of the animals – who, being immortal, have already seen and understood the history leading up to this point. They know Jesus will be crucified to pay the price for sin. And they know of the triumph that will happen three days later. As such, the characters provide insight into the events through their conversations and observations. This book is unique in that it not only covers Biblical history, it also covers a bit more modern time period – 1735. It shows the characters interacting with Charles Jennens and George F. Handel as they write The Messiah. It gives a glimpse of the events surrounding the writing of it.

I highly recommend this book and this series.

Recommendation Scale: 5/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

John 4:25-26 – The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am He."

Escape From Fire Lake

As he tied down the canvas flaps, he took one last look in at Mike and said, “By the way, bright boy, leaving that trail of money was just a waste of your time and my good cash. If anybody does find one of those bills, I’m willing to bet that they don’t tell anyone and just keep it for themselves.” He paused for a moment and then added, “But just in case a Good Samaritan does come along…well, I think we’d best get off the main road for a while and have ourselves a little off-road adventure!

They had not traveled over ten miles before the truck pulled off onto a lonely dirt road. The only thing that marked the road was a sign:
FIRE LAKE WILDERNESS AREA: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Book: Escape from Fire Lake (Last Chance Detectives) by Robert Vernon, Focus On The Family, 1998

Genre: Mystery, Adventure

Target Audience: Boys 10-14

Subjects: Crime, Faith, Fear

Summary: Bank Robbers! Right here in the small town of Ambrosia! Not exactly what the Last Chance Detectives would have imagined when they went looking for a mystery to solve, but that’s what they found. Or at least, what Mike found. When he discovers what a truck is doing at the old abandoned hotel in town, he realizes he’s in danger and quickly hops in the back of their truck to hide when they come outside. Unfortunately for Mike, they are coming out to leave town, and now Mike is leaving town with them! When the bank robbers find Mike hiding in their truck, they decide to abandon him in a desert. Now Mike is in a fight for survival against the burning desert sun. With no water, no food and no shelter in sight, his chances aren’t looking too good!

Notes: Escape From Fire Lake is part of the Last Chance Detectives series, books based off of a movie series. The idea is that a young boy’s father supposedly went down in a plane crash, but neither he nor his plane were ever found. Mike is convinced his dad is still alive and is determined to find him someday. To practice, he and his friends form a detective club. In Escape From Fire Lake, Mike has to recall and rely on lessons his father has taught him – both about survival and about faith. Most of the book is just focused on adventure but there are a couple of scenes where Mike prays and relies on God to take care of him. When he is afraid, he reads a verse reminding him that God will never leave him, nor forsake him.

Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 4/5

Reviewer: J:-)mi

Hebrews 13:5-6 – Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"