Himalayan Adventures

If your child is curious about life in other countries—especially those with breathtaking mountain views, various wild animals, and rustic villages--he may enjoy Penny Reeve’s book Himalayan Adventures. The book is a collection of fourteen short stories based on the author’s experiences in Nepal. Reeves uses interesting details to paint the landscape, people, and culture in clear, vivid word images. In addition, several black and white drawings illustrate key events in each story. Every adventure focuses on one central idea and Biblical insight, and all include a Scripture reference. For example, in “Snake? No Thanks”, Reeves tells about a few incidents where God protected villagers from a snake. She points out “We don’t always know what is going to happen to us, but we do know that God knows, and we CAN trust in Him.” She supports this idea with a verse from Deuteronomy 31:8. At the end of the book, Reeves provides a glossary of unusual words, a twenty question quiz (with answers provided), and a page of references.

What I Like: The stories are well written. Each one has a strong opening that will draw the reader into the tale. They are short enough to be used for a personal devotional time, a family devotional time, or in a Sunday school setting. The insights were thought provoking and universal. Reeves also did a nice job explaining different aspects of the native cultural and language.

What I Dislike: This is not so much a dislike as it is an “alert” note to parents. Some of the stories had an intense element that might be upsetting to younger readers. Those elements include references to a man-eating tiger, a boy that drowns, and a leopard attack. If your child is sensitive to such things, you will want to preview the story before allowing them to read it.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Ages 8 +

Publisher Info: CF4K, 2006; ISBN:978-1845500801; Paperback, 96 pgs., $8.99

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Special Info: There are many other books in the Adventure Series, each crafted by a different author. Some of the titles are: African Adventures , Rain Forest Adventures, Amazon Adventures, Great Barrier Reef Adventures, Outback Adventures, and Wild West Adventures.