Two girls with big problems draw resilience from each other and the “Magic” of the Universe. Each of Us a Universe by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo with Ndengo Gladys Mwilelo. Farrar Strauss Giroux, 2022, 294 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 10-15 A Universe of Trouble Calliope (Cal) Scott has one thing to cling to these days: the “magic” of Mount Meteorite, named for the space rock that supposedly crashed there 50 years earlier. The spire atop the mountain has only been climbed once, by two climbers who were never seen again. Or that’s the story, which  Cal now longs to verify for herself. She could use…

The Dreamkeeper Saga weaves Christian themes, Arthurian legend, and reliable fantasy tropes into a promising series for middle-graders. The Dragon and the Stone (Dreamkeeper Saga #1) by Kathryn Butler. Crossway, 301 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-14 What if dreams came true? Lily McKinley’s life has taken a turn for the worse, with her father missing and presumed dead, her grandmother losing memories, and her mother forced to work night shift at the hospital. It’s all too much, but when a dragon (granted, a small dragon)  appears in their kitchen, slurping up chili on the stove, it’s beyond comprehension. Fortunately, the dragon (who introduces himself…

The Sower employs biblical allegories of seeds and planting to recap the story of the Bible and its effect on human history—and on us. *The Sower by Scott James, illustrated by Stephen Crotts. Crossway, 2022, 34 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, 8-10 Recommended for: ages 6-up In his Foreword, Andrew Peterson recalls his early love of the natural world and how God must love it too: “because he’s like a gardener who delights in our delight.” Just as the gardener’s work only ends when the garden does, so God’s creative work continues, from the very beginning right down to the present day and beyond. Here’s the beginning: Once there was…

Polly and the Screen Time Overload gently points young children away from electronic fascinations to the quieter joys of real life. Polly and the Screen Time Overload by Betsy Childs Howard, illustrated by Samara Hardy. Crossway, 2022, 32 pages Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8 Recommended for: ages 4-6 as a read-aloud, 6-8 independent readers Polly’s favorite time of the year is her late-July birthday—not just because of presents, but because she gets to spend that week at her grandparents’ farm with her two cousins. A whole week of barely-supervised play in the sunlight and fresh air, with “twenty-eight chickens, give pigs, three cows, and a horse named Mustard” can’t…

40 different authors write eloquently about children’s literature, faith in Christ, and shepherding imaginations in Wild Things and Castles in the Sky. *Wild Things and Castles in the Sky: A Guide to Choosing the Best Books for Children, edited by Leslie Bustard, Carey Bustard, and Théa Rosenburg. Square Halo Books, 2022. 272 pages. Reading Level: Ages 16+/Grown-ups Recommended For: parents, educators, and children’s literature enthusiasts “Stories can train our imaginations and help us grow in empathy and sympathy, but stories can also help us understand how we fit into the kingdom of God, as well as prepare us for a life of being molded by the word of God.” So…