A Horse For Kate

A horse of her own would be awesome. But Kate figures that might be a long way away, especially since she had to give up riding lessons and move to her late grandfather's farm. Besides, it would be a lot more fun to have a best friend to ride with. When Kate discovers a barn on their new farm that's perfect for a horse, and a dusty bridle too, she starts to think that her dream might come true. Then she meets Tori at school, who is totally the best. So when they discover a thoroughbred that appears to be all alone, could it be the answer to her prayers? Maybe. If she can convince her dad ... and figure out what's going on with that horse.

What I Like: In the span of a short chapter book, the story covered many issues that kids ages 8-12 would surely face at school and at a home like being the new kid in a new school, making friends, mean kids, doing chores and parental rules. I think middle grade readers can truly relate to the language and character traits of both Kate and Tori.

The author skillfully blended in the dynamics of a household with an autistic child into the plot while not making it overpower her main storyline. Both of the girls in the story already have a faith based background and occasionally turn to prayer without being prompted to do so. They are good realistic role models for young readers.

What I Dislike: Non-horse enthusiasts may find some of the jargon a little confusing.

Overall Rating: Good

Age Appeal: 8-12 years old

Publisher Info: David C. Cook; 2015; ISBN: 9780781411141; ePub & Paperback, $7.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $7.99, eBook for $7.99

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Special Info: The book includes a scene where a character encounters racism.

Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims

It is pretty hard to imagine what those before us went through. Imagine: crossing the ocean on a small boat, in filthy conditions, with people who hate you. In Rush Revere and the Brave Pilgrims by Rush Limbaugh, history comes to life as you experience what it was like in the New World alongside William Bradford and Myles Standish, including their trip across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower.

Rush Revere isn't your ordinary, boring substitute history teacher. With his talking horse, Liberty, he has the ability to actually show his pupils history. Liberty has some special powers, namely the ability to time travel anywhere in American history. And, when Rush Revere jumps on his back and Liberty calls out the special words, they can jump through time and walk and talk with anyone in American history.

For this lesson, Rush wants to teach the kids in Manchester Middle School's honors history class about the Puritans. Using Liberty's abilities and the help of his one-of-a-kind iPhone adapter, Rush jumps back to the time of the launching of the Mayflower from Holland, and broadcasts his experiences with William Bradford back to his class. But one pupil, Freedom, is suspicious, and sees Rush and Liberty make the jump. When they return, Freedom confronts her teacher, along with Tommy, who is the class troublemaker.

Rush Revere comes clean with Tommy and Freedom about Liberty's abilities, and asks the two middle schoolers if they'd like to experience history for themselves. They agree, and soon, they're taking part in the Puritans journey to the first Thanksgiving.

What I Like: I really love EVERYTHING about this book! I will admit: I have been a listener of Limbaugh's radio show for 20 years, and when he announced he was releasing this book, I was excited, but a little trepidatious. Could he write fiction? Other than a few minor fumbles in craft, I found the writing wonderful, and the story engaging. But, with a horse named Liberty, it has to be good!

The book is a treasure in and of itself. The cover is beautiful and the pages are works of art. Inside are multiple illustrations and photographs, some for the purposes of story-telling by Chris Hiers (website published December 2013), but others which come from sources like Getty Images or the Library of Congress to show the lives of the Puritans who landed at Plimouth (as they spelled it.)

Tommy and Freedom are both enjoyable characters to get to know through the story, and are believable kids of an indeterminate middle school age. When they go back to 1620-1621, it's very authentic, especially when they make faux pas, referencing present day things like salsa and county fairs (which the Puritans wouldn't have been able to experience.)

And, while Mr. Limbaugh is no theologian, it is evident throughout the pages he wanted to make sure God was included in the story of Thanksgiving. William Bradford frequently references God and their desires to escape religious persecution, as well as God's hand on their journey. Even facing great difficulties, his belief that God's blessing would be on their journey strengthened not only the Puritans but the others who traveled with him aboard the Mayflower to the New World.

Also, at the end, there's a quiz from Liberty the horse. Answers are found at the TwoIfByTea.com website. 

What I Dislike: All of the very minor issues I have are with craft, as well as one issue towards the end of the book with a layout problem. William Bradford "writes" a letter to Rush Revere to invite him, Tommy, and Freedom to what would be the first Thanksgiving, and the placement of said letter is a couple of pages later than it's referenced, so you have to jump a couple pages up, then back, after reading it or the story doesn't make much sense. However, and it does not detract from the overall quality of the book.

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: Marketed for 10 - 15, but kids younger and older would also enjoy this.

Publisher Info: Simon & Schuster, 2013; ISBN: 978-1-4767-5586-1; Hardback, 212 pgs., $19.99

Special Info:  While not foul-mouthed, Liberty the talking/time-travelling horse is a bit of a smart-mouth and can be a trouble-maker. Depending on the age of your children, you may want to discuss the fact that speaking to adults in the way Liberty does is not appropriate.

Also, Freedom is a Native American/Indian girl who "has the ability to communicate with animals." This does not play a major role in the story, although there is a scene where she communicates with a deer.

Buy it as a hardback at Amazon.com for $11.99. Also available in a Kindle format for $5.99, Unabridged audiobook on CD for $11.69, or an Audible.com download for $11.95.

Water Or Goo?

Water or Goo?--that's the question in this Tania Abbey novel by Penny Reeve. It's a pretty important question, although not, one would think, for Australian Tania Abbey.

Tania is a spunky kid, and a bit of a teacher's pet, but one who has a big heart. She adores her teacher, Ms. Flinders, so when the teacher announces there is a water rally in their drought-stricken region of Australia (a problem that really has been happening in the last decade in that country), Tania is the first kid in class to raise her hand saying she wants to participate.

The only problem? Boisterous Tania didn't ask Mum and Dad first. Tania's parents decide she can participate in the rally and subsequently set up a booth, but only if Tania can come up with a good idea to educate others about water. She only has 24 hours to decide, since that's when the entry fee is due.

Enter Tania's best friend, Emily, as well as both kids' siblings. All of the kids throw ideas back and forth, but it's not until Tania goes to use the bathroom at Emily's house and the toilet backs up that she gets a lesson on how people in the third world live--and this sparks an idea that quickly snowballs. How would you like to drink water that someone may have been using in or near the bathroom? And the idea of a booth called "Water or Goo?" is born.

What I Like: There's a lot of good things in this book. Exposing kids--especially American kids who really have no knowledge of what's going on outside their little suburban home--to problems in other areas of the world is great. The initial premise for the water march is the drought in Australia, which, as I mentioned, was an ongoing problem down under when this book was published. But Tania's focus quickly goes from Australia's problems to those in the third world. A girl named Shanti in India is predominantly featured in the book, and I presume she was the subject of an earlier book because she's referred to quite frequently, with Tania wondering how Shanti survives with dirty water, or how she carries multiple vessels of water a long distance to her home daily.

This book offers some possible solutions to the dirty water problem. At the tail end of the book, there's an author's note which provides some additional information about how to help others get clean water, although they're primarily for UK and Australian youth. If, after your child reads this book, they feel moved to help, I would personally urge you to look into the organization "Wells for Life," which is an organization that helps bring new wells to areas of the world in desperate need of clean water. But this is just one of many American organizations bringing clean water sources to the third world.

What I Dislike: Story-wise, there's not much I don't like about this book. The religious content is minimal, but present, so the minimal part would be my only gripe. As a writer, though, I did find the writing a little choppy, but that probably won't bother anyone but the most aware of readers.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: 9-12.

Publisher Info: Christian Focus Publications, 2008; ISBN: 978-1-84550-341-3; Paperback, 94 pgs., $6.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for $6.94

Special Info: This book is written primarily for an Australian audience, and the lingo and spelling reflect that. For instance, "learnt" is used instead of "learned," and "crisps" are used instead of "chips," but there are many other examples throughout the book.

A Young Man After God's Own Heart: Turn Your Life into an Extreme Adventure

"On many occasions (and I know this won't sound very spiritual), I pray while I'm running. I take my prayer list in hand, or in my heart, and start running. As I begin pounding the pavement and praying, I seem to lose myself in prayer (and, as an added benefit the pain of the jog is forgotten!)" (p.60).

This is just one of the words of wisdom Jim George offers in A Young Man After God's Own Heart. George understands boys and young men, and provides a distinctly "male" version of what faith looks like. George's book for junior high and high school guys explains what it means to be a Christian, how to develop your faith and how to handle family, friends and temptation.  He also covers setting goals and gives practical tips on studying the Bible.

George draws heavily on his own life experiences in high school, and in his careers in pharmacy and the military. He challenges young men to "Go for the Gold," by making Christ their focus, choosing to learn from family and reaching out to friends and non-Christians. He also challenges young men to enjoy group activities instead of dating one-on-one while in high school, and to read the Bible in a year. George includes an "Extreme Spiritual Workout Schedule" in the back of the book, with a day-by-day plan to read the Bible in one year.

Each chapter includes personal questions in a section called "Tough Decisions for Today," and Bible study questions in "The Cutting Edge." These questions would be helpful for personal use, but would work even better with an older mentor or in a group setting.

What I Like:  I like how well George captures the heart of boys. He shows them what it looks like to love God, but still be manly. He recognizes boys' need for adventure, challenge and risk, and inspires them to develop their faith while being the best they can be at school, home and with their friends. The book was helpful for me, as a mom, to see what faith may look like for my son, and understand differences in our natures. Sitting on the couch with tea and a Bible is no more spiritual than running with prayer list in hand!

I like the way George reminds young men throughout the book to think about their future. Although he recognizes not all people have to go on to higher education, he does ask them to work hard in order to leave their options open. He also recommends young men cultivate a love of reading, and explains ways reading can help their education and faith.

George makes excellent use of personal examples. He makes the book interesting and relevant by sharing stories from his life. Also, it is rare to find devotional books not written by pastors. Although George is a pastor now, he references experiences in pharmacy and the military. This makes it easier to relate to George, especially for guys who aren't thinking about going into ministry right now.

Finally, at last, a book cover with great action shots (football, skating, running, snowboarding) that doesn't show faces! Although photos are used, they use bright colors or black and white, and they use midsection shots, which make them appealing to guys of any ethnic background.

What I Dislike: Nothing

Overall Rating: Excellent

Age Appeal: 12 and up, but would work equally well for junior high or high school students

Publisher Info: Harvest House Publishers, 2005; ISBN: 978-0-7369-1478-9; Paperback, 206 pages, $10.99

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $8.49
 
OR Buy it at Amazon.com for $8.79.

Check out CCBR reviews of other books by Jim and his wife Elizabeth here.

Eli the Stable Boy

Author Keith Ogorek used to tell this bedtime story to his daughters when they were children. Now published, Eli the Stable Boy can be shared with your children.

Eli is a young boy living in Bethlehem. His father is a shepherd. Eli desperately wants to follow his father into the fields with the sheep, but he also wants to make good choices. When their father asks Eli and his sister, Leah, to stay back and clean the stables, Leah chooses to abandon their work and play with her friends instead, but Eli decides to honor his word.

Eli prepares to head home after a long day of difficult, smelly work, but as he exits the stable, he meets a stranger accompanied by a donkey and a very pregnant wife. The man asks if they may spend the night in the stable. Eli considers what would be the right choice. He considers what he has heard from the rabbi and what he would want someone to do for his mother or his sister, then welcomes the strangers into the now cleaned stalls. He then leaves to fetch some water for them. When he returns, he hears a baby's cries and then sees his father running from the hills to find the Messiah. At the end of the story, readers learn that the baby's name is Jesus.

Eric Walton served as illustrator. His drawings are simple and primarily feature earth tones.

What I Like: This is a well-written, sweet story. It teaches good work ethics and the importance of honoring one's word.

What I Dislike: There is nothing overtly wrong with this story, but there is also nothing extraordinary that makes it stand out among a sea of other Christmas books telling similar stories and targeting the same audience. There seems to be an imbalance between the amount of text per illustration, which I've reflected in "Age Appeal" below. Also, as with most self-published books, the price is high.

Overall Rating: Good.

Age Appeal: The publisher doesn't specify, but I would say, based on the length of the story, 6-10.

Publisher Info: AuthorHouse, 2009; ISBN: 1449041167; Paperback; 28 pages; $13.99

Buy it at Amazon.com for $10.85!

The Berenstain Bears Reap the Harvest

Brother and Sister Bear are trying to decide what to do with their summer in Stan, Jan, and Mike Berenstain's The Berenstain Bears Reap the Harvest. Sister suggests they should get a job because "Papa says according to Proverbs, 'All hard work brings a profit."

Fortunately for the cubs, it just so happens Farmer Ben is looking for help - although he's not entirely sure the Bears are old enough to be really useful. Brother and Sister convince him they can do lots of things: Collect eggs, feed the chickens, sweep the barn, slop the hogs, call the cows, and make sure the bull pen is locked tight. But when they ask how much they will be paid, Farmer Ben surprises them. He tells them corn is his cash crop - the crop he sells for money. "I'll tell you what," the farmer says, "If you do a good job, I'll pay you the money I get for all the corn that grows in that corner of the field." He explains he won't know how much money that will be until autumn; it all depends on how much sunshine and rain there is, and whether they can keep pests away. "That's the way it is with farming," he says. "Same way it is with faith...our true reward comes later on - in God's good time."

The young cubs agree and work hard for the farmer all summer. And, lo, the corn crop is one of Farmer Ben's best ever. The cubs are pleased with their summer's pay and put all their earnings into the bank. "We want to keep it at least as long as it took to earn it," they say.

What I Like: My kids like Berenstain Bear books. This one seems to have a less obvious moral than most of the Berenstain books (a weakness, in my opinion), but it does a better job integrating a Bible-based theme into the story than many of the newer books in the series. My kids enjoyed it.

What I Dislike: Nothing, really.

Overall Rating: Very good.

Age Appeal: According to the publisher, 4 to 8, but my 2 year old enjoyed it, too.

Publishing Info: Zonderkidz; 2011; ISBN: 978-0310722779; hardback, 40 pgs., $6.99.

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Purchase the ebook version at ChristianBook.com for $4.99.

Special Info: Read our reviews of other Berenstain Bear books.