The Keeper Of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan is an absolutely charming contemporary tale about life and love. Love is the greatest gift we can ever give or receive. Much love is to be found within the pages of the novel. There is a love that says I will care for you in sickness and in health. There is a love that says I love you because of your differences. And there is a love that says I love you beyond the confines of the grave. The whole novel is a celebration of love. There are a wonderful mix of characters including an aging author, a young divorcee and a young…

The Mysterious Benedict Society is a clever middle grades mystery series perfect for puzzle-loving tween and young teen readers. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. Little, Brown, 2008. 512 pages. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. 2009. 464 pages. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Dilemma. 2010. 400 pages. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict. 2010. 496 pages. Coming in September: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of the Ages. 2019. 400 pages. Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12Recommended For: Ages 8 and upReynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance are the four friends who make up the Mysterious Benedict Society. They each passed a series…

An aspiring magician discovers the real magic in “Super Jake,” his special-needs little brother. *Super Jake and the King of Chaos by Naomi Milliner. Running Press Kids, 2019, 278 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: ages 8-14 Ethan Miller, age 11, was inspired to go into magic by Magnus the Magnificent, one of his favorite illusionists. And he’s pretty good at it—good enough to perform at kids’ birthday parties and make a little pocket money. He has a lot going for him otherwise: a close-knit Jewish family, grandparents nearby, a mildly annoying little brother named Freddy, good friends at school—and Jake. Jake is his youngest brother, age…

The Ingredients For Happiness by Lucy Knott is a delightful contemporary novel that will leave you smiling and feeling good about life. The book is based around three sisters who are following their dreams. Dreams are planted in hearts and encouraged to grow by those around them as they are sprinkled with love. Dreams take on an extra significance when they were birthed by those no longer here. The novel deals with the loss of a grandfather. He was clearly a man much loved by his family. His presence of love covers the whole book. Cooking, dress designing and managing a boy band are the order of the day. Due to…

A list of books that might help with the difficult transition from teen to adult in today’s confusing culture. Let’s get one thing straight: A book is not a cure for whatever ails you, or a guarantee against falling away from the church, faith, or Christ himself. Head knowledge will not necessarily guard your heart.  That was made plain enough last weekend. But humans are creatures of both head and heart. Our intellect can instruct our emotions while emotions empower the intellect. If “my people perish for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6), knowledge must have a place in a young person’s development. Don’t leave home without it! Whether your son…

Rebecca McLaughlin confronts some of the hardest questions faced by Christians today with thoughtful, engaging responses rooted in Scripture. *Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion by Rebecca McLaughlin. Crossway, 2019, 240 pages. Reading Level: Teen, ages 15-18 Recommended for: ages 18-up So you are a Christian? Chances are, you’ve encountered someone who believes we are better off without religion. And what about diversity? Doesn’t Christianity crush diversity? Chapter by chapter, Christian thinker Rebecca McLaughlin interacts with twelve of the hardest questions facing Christians today. Using history, literature, modern events, and most of all, going back to the Bible, McLaughlin shows how Christians have interacted with these questions over…

A conniving traitor who plots to overthrow the throne by dispatching one family member after another is threatened by a heroic young squirrel who drops out of the sky. *Urchin of the Riding Stars: Mistmantle Chronicles, Book One by M.I. McAllister.  Miramax Books, 2005, 282 pages. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: Middle grades, ages 8-12, and up; makes a great read aloud I don’t know what it is about English authors, but they are brilliant creators of the coziest and most delightful animal tales that radiate Truth and Story. If you could draft squirrels and hedgehogs from Beatrix Potter, and otters and moles from Kenneth Graeme, then…

With humor and heart, Pie in the Sky explores the experience of a young Asian immigrant with much more than assimilation on his mind. Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai. Henry Holt, 2019, 327 pages Reading Level: Middle Grades, 8-10 Recommended for: ages 8-15 Moving to Australia from China was Papa’s idea. Papa is gone now, but Jingwen’s mam decided to move to Australia anyway, so they’re here, and Ah-gong and Ah-po (grandparents) have been left behind, along with all of Jingwen’s friends. His little brother Yanghao is being even more annoying than usual, and Jingwen can’t understand or speak to anyone outside his immediate family. English may as…

Wren Clemmons learns much about herself, the desert, and true friendship during wilderness therapy camp in this engaging teen read about drug use. Wild Bird by Wendelin Van Draanen. Knopf, 2017. 340 pages. Reading Level: Ages 12 and up Recommended For: Ages 12 and up When police show up to take 14-year-old Wren Clemmons into custody, it’s 3:47 a.m. Hung over and frantic without her phone, Wren is led away from her family to destination unknown. Apparently, her parents had planned this in advance? They actually signed her up for a wilderness therapy camp? Do they really know just how bad this wilderness camp is? And that she has to…

Swing and Solo: two novels-in-verse for teens that grapple with music (jazz and rock and roll), baseball, young love, and what’s really important in life. Swing by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess. Blink, 2018. 448 pages. Reading Level: Ages 12 and up Recommended For: Ages 14 and up Noah wants nothing more than for one of his best friends, Sam (short for Samantha), to fall in love with him. He’s pined after her for years. Noah’s other best friend, Walt, wants nothing more than to get on the varsity baseball team. But what’s a guy to do when the love of his life thinks of him as a brother?…