An upcoming retelling of Jane Eyre seems, at the very least, ill-advised. But why? Just because of our prejudices? Four or five years ago, I read about a little Twitter dust-up over S. E. Hinton’s YA classic, The Outsiders. The story is about gang warfare in an Oklahoma town, with blue-collar “Greasers” pitted against white-collar “Socials,” or Socs. Protagonist Ponyboy Curtis is the youngest member of the Greasers, Johnny Cade is Ponyboy’s best friend, and Dallas “Dally” Winston is a gang brother who brushed up his tough-guy cred on the streets of NYC. As in West Side Story, violence escalates eye for eye until two kids are dead. Though published…

A Film Review? Film reviews are not prominent here on Redeemed Reader. However, we all enjoy a good film adaption of a favorite book or series! And, we have strong Opinions on the “right” film versions of some classics. You are our people if you prefer the 1995 BBC Version of Pride and Prejudice or the 1985 Anne of Green Gables mini-series with Megan Follows. Another family favorite in the Farquhar household is the Muppets’ version of Treasure Island, reviewed below by Betsy’s teenaged daughter. We’re recommending movies like this as family activities for those participating in our summer reading program, Hope on the Horizon, this summer! Muppet Treasure Island…

Lois Lenski books continue to be enjoyable and insightful reading for all ages. Lois Lenski Books Yesterday I shared a long-overdue introduction to an author who has greatly influenced my life. Isn’t it funny how it happens? First, Mom read Puritan Adventure and Strawberry Girl aloud. Then, because most of Lenski’s regionals were housed in my room, I read and re-read Judy’s Journey, Mama Hattie’s Girl, Blueberry Corners, Indian Captive, and others. While pursuing my M.A. in Children’s Literature at Hollins University, I decided to examine Lenski’s female characters for my thesis. Six of her books paired very conveniently for my purposes, and I was thrilled to find redemptive patterns…

Who was Lois Lenski? Lois Lenski was a prolific author who lived from the end of the 19th-century long into the 20th. She was a Midwesterner, daughter of R.C.H. Lenski (a Lutheran minister whose commentaries were regularly mentioned from the pulpit by my non-Lutheran pastor), and a Newbery-award winner whose line drawings enhanced all of her books. Why Lenski Matters to Me Lenski’s work has made a deep impression on me. My mother read Puritan Adventure, Indian Captive, and Strawberry Girl aloud to us; I devoured many others on my own, including Judy’s Journey, Mama Hattie’s Girl, and Coal-Camp Boy. I wrote my master’s thesis on Lenski’s strong female characters,…