The Browns at Mt. Hermon

by Isabella Alden
Available from Keepers of the Faith
*****

Can I more highly recommend this sweet story? This is one of Isabella Alden’s more lighthearted stories, but in the humor, she never compromises the seriousness of the Christ-centered life. The plan of salvation is given more than once, and we meet characters to love and emulate.

Our heroine is Mary Brown, who understands her name is not one of the most rare! She accidentally receives a letter addressed to another Mary Brown, accepting her services at a Christian camp. After attempting to return the letter to its proper addressee and finding that that Mary Brown was no longer interested in the position, she decides, on a lark, to take the position herself. Mary Brown was quite well off, somewhat listless and discontent with her life, and was trying to find something interesting to do during the summer. So she assumes the character of a girl needing employment, and begins to learn much about work, Christian camps, and Christianity itself. During her eventful summer she changes much, along with several other Browns and Brownings! It turns out that a certain young man was also there to take a break from his own life, and he may be more than he seems.

Delightful and sweet, this story at some points reads a little like a mystery, but through it all, Isabella Alden’s focus on the Lord, makes the reader thoughtful. Are we, like Mary Brown merely professing Christ, or actually living for Him? Are we giving the expected verbal assent, or are we actually being conformed into His image? It seems there is a big difference.

The River of Grace

by Joyce McPherson
Available from Amazon
*****

I was delighted with this sensitive biography of John Calvin. McPherson writes simply to children, not down to children. She begins in John’s childhood, and touches on the events and issues of his life. She shows his thoughts with frequent quotes him from his letters and other writings. This book is a great introduction to the life and heart of a great reformer, and an excellent work.

The Swamp Fox of the Revolution

by Stewart H. Holbrook
Available from Amazon
*****
Forget about history being boring. This book brings Francis Marion and his campaigns to life like an adventure story. We start off in his camp on Snow Island, and see his men carry out their guerilla type missions from there. We meet the men he fought with, and learn about the men he fought against. We travel to all the places where Marion was involved in the South Carolina campaigns, and see the scenery. Most of all, we follow Francis Marion, and see the brilliant daring and heart of kindness that makes a hero.

The author combined his history and descriptions to make this nothing more than true history, but to make the people, places and events memorable. A great book by itself, a good biography, and a wonderful history tool.

This is number 90 in the Landmark Series, designed to teach important history to children. Children will certainly enjoy the reading, but adults wanting to learn a little more about different areas of history will find Landmarks easy to breeze through. Not in depth studies, but with more information than the average person knows about the subjects, including Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox of the Revolution.

Against the Tide: The Valor of Margaret Wilson

by Hope Irvin Marston
Available from Amazon
****
When I saw the title of this book, I knew I needed it. I recognized the heroine as one of the two Margarets martyred together on the Solway Firth. I enjoyed the book very much. The author brought the period to life, and showed the fear and courage of the “killing times”, when one’s life was not much safer at home than abroad.

The book begins when Margaret was very young, and tells of the few years of maturing she had before her betrayal and martyrdom. Knowing the tragic but glorious end makes each part of Margaret’s life more poignant.

There is a little romance between Margaret and a close neighbor, with three mentions of “innocent kisses.” Fergus eventually asks Margaret to marry him and flee to Ireland, but Margaret believed she should stay single, though she loved him very much. I don’t know whether this is actual history, but it fits nicely in the book.

One thing that did trouble me was the portrayal of Margaret’s disobedience to her father, and her arguing with him in front of the family. I do understand that her conscience dictated that she not go to the church meeting with her family, but rather meet secretly with true believers. Also Margaret’s father is shown as not being able to choose between his cattle and his Saviour, when he was trying to protect his family. Even though they were not being fed at the state church, he went to protect his family, and he did teach them the Scriptures at home. I’m not saying his decision was the best one or not; it’s hard to tell what someone should or should not do when you’ve never been in their shoes. Also, Margaret’s determination to separate from her father’s authority caused her two younger siblings to follow her example, which was a good example except in the way she treated her father. And I do realize that this is historically accurate. I just wish Margaret might have been portrayed showing her father more respect.

Altogether, I would recommend this book, and will keep it on my shelf and read it again. I really appreciate the author’s work, and am happy that a book has been written for young girls about Margaret Wilson.

A Child Is Born

by Lennart Nilsson
Available from Amazon
****

I really enjoyed reading through this book, which is the 1977 edition (I have not seen the later editions). The photos on nearly every page are great enhancements to the information, from conception to fetal development, parental adjustment and preparation, birth, and immediately postpartum. The photos of the unborn growing child at different stages were particularly spectacular! Many things about the pregnancy from the biology to how the mama can expect to feel are discussed in an easy reading style. There is nudity in some of the pictures, obviously in the context of childbirth, and some evolutionary propaganda is included in the beginning. Even so, I would highly recommend this book to expectant parents.

Hunted and Harried

by R. M. Ballantyne
Available through Vision Forum and Amazon
*****

Young Will Wallace (not to be confused with the Scottish hero William Wallace) is first seen as the book opens as a dragoon under the command of Claverhouse. Appalled by the atrocities he has seen, he feels very uncomfortable with their mission to find and persecute the Covenanters. Will, however, considers that this wanton cruelty is done by the wish of evil men, and that surely the commanders would also be horrified. He is soon enlightened. On a mission to locate one of the Covenanting preachers, he attacks his companion when the man attempts to insult one of the Christian girls they meet. After realizing the way his commanders would view this act, Will deserts the king’s employ.

While Will is considering his next course of action, as an unemployed and soon-to-be wanted man, he captured as a spy by the very man he had been hunting. His defense of the man’s daughter is soon made known, and he joins the Covenanters.

Over the next few years, we live alongside Will, as he believes in Christ, attends meetings, aids in the escape of others, and witnesses the martyrdom of his friends. We are given a picture of the Covenanters’ lives, perpetually hunted from place to place, not knowing whom to trust, and seeing their dear ones killed. For what? For the lordship of Christ. For declaring that He alone, and not the king, is the head of the church.

This is learning history the easy way, through an engaging story. We are drawn in the very lives of these people who suffered so long ago. This book makes a great story by itself, but for studying Scotland and the Covenanters, it should be on every educator’s history shelf.

The Mystery of the Indian Carvings

by Gloria Repp
Available from Amazon
****
Julie knew she wasn’t wanted at home. At least, her stepmother didn’t want her there. She was sent to Uncle Nate on Canadian Bartlett Island; maybe he would let her stay for the summer. Julie hoped so: it was either that or some camp.

When she arrived, no one was there to meet her, and when a friendly islander did take her to her uncle’s pier, a frosty welcome from her aunt and cousin Karin only increased her nervousness. Karin obviously disliked Julie from the beginning, and did her best to get her into trouble. Julie does make friends, and learns something of her uncle’s work and research. Her uncle trusts her enough to tell her of his secret tutoring of a young Indian boy, Robert. Uncle Nate told Julie that her aunt and cousin wouldn’t be happy if they heard of it, so she kept her information to herself. Her aunt didn’t ask too many questions anyway. She seemed very anxious, and with her sullen daughter, the home wasn’t a happy place for Julie to spend time. She stayed away from the nosy “reporter” that arrived at the same time she did. There seemed to be something fishy about her.

When Julie came to Bartlett Island, she was a brand new Christian. She used to have a fiery temper, but her Bible told her that God was not pleased with her anger. She turned to Jesus Christ in her uncomfortable and sometimes frightening situations, and He gave her comfort, peace and direction. Julie prayed for a love for her cousin, and the Lord even gave her that, as difficult as it was.

In the midst of the tangled relationships, Julie becomes involved in a confused adventure. In the end, everything is made plain; the mystery is solved, Uncle Nate realizes he has neglected his daughter, his wife and daughter understand his love for them, and Julie is accepted into the family for the summer.

Tales of Persia

by William McElwee Miller
Available from Amazon
****

Mr. Miller spent forty-three years as a missionary of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Islamic people of Iran. He shares these tales of people he met or heard of in his time there. Some lived many years ago, and some he was privileged to lead to Christ himself. He tells his stories simply, as a grandfather or Sunday School teacher to young children.

Here is a typical paragraph at the end of a chapter. “All this happened because a Christian man [not referring to the author], whose heart was full of the Spirit of God, made a missionary journey to Damghan. There he had so much love for a proud Muslim mulla that he wept over his lost condition. It is love like this that God uses to bring people to Himself.”

These stories give a picture of rural life in Iran and missionaries who went there. We meet all kinds of people in these pages, ones who came to know the Lord Jesus in different ways and how that affected their lives. This would be a great book for reading aloud to the family.

Twelve Youthful Martyrs

by Esther E. Enock
Available from Keepers of the Faith and Amazon
****

I read this book aloud to my husband in the car, and we both marveled at the constancy which these martyrs held to the Lord Jesus. Most of the characters were under 20, and the sweet simplicity with which they refused to deny their Lord touched our hearts and made us wonder if we would be as faithful. We have the same wonderful Savior, and we may one day be called to suffer for His sake. These held Him precious, and as He had saved them and given them new life, they could not turn from Him, whatever the consequences. Their witness proclaimed that they knew Someone worth more than life, and that their lives would be far richer with Him than on this earth. The eternal glow of their lives and deaths puts so many things of this world into their proper perspectives.

This book was well researched, and the author gives detailed names, places and dates in these short accounts. Each story is just a couple pages, and the whole book only numbers 63 pages. Although this was obviously written for children, adults will also be glad to read the testimonies of these young martyrs who “loved not their lives unto death."

Tirzah

by Lucille Travis
Available from Amazon
***

Tirzah is a fictional young girl, an Israelite in Egyptian bondage. We follow her out of the hated Egypt, and see what the trek through the wilderness might have been to a young girl. She witnessed the plagues of Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea, feared during the creation and rebellion of the golden calf and the giving of the law, and wondered what would happen when there was nothing to drink. She gathered manna, worried over the sickness from the many quail, and speculated – like a typical teen – about who the matchmakers would think to put together. Tirzah’s relations are involved in the common rebellions, and she hears their reasonings and justifications for their positions. The theme of racial prejudice is brought up concerning another young girl, an Egyptian maiden who turned to Yahweh and journeyed with the children of Israel. The final scenes of the book occur when the twelve spies have returned from Canaan. Because of the Israelites’ unbelief in Yahweh, they are cursed to wander 40 years in the wilderness until those who did not believe were dead. Tirzah struggles with fear and rebellion throughout the book, but by the end she comes to understand a little of the ways of Yahweh, and learns to hope in Him.

Obviously written to appeal to teens, I thought the characters could have displayed a little more maturity. Other than that, Travis has an easy reading style. This won’t be anyone’s favorite book of the year, but you might check it out for a perspective on what it might have been like for the Israelite children. It's interesting to read about the places and events in Exodus in a work of fiction, and many details from the Scriptures are woven throughout it.