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Written on the Wind by Judith Pella and published by Bethany House (2002), will definitely inform you about World War II. This is the first book in the Daughters of Fortune series. There are four books in the series. Many things I read in Written on the Wind, especially regarding Soviet Union and World War II, I had not known before. It will also make you think of what is most important in life, relationships with the Lord and loved ones.
The story is mainly about Cameron Hays, a journalist for the newspaper her father owns, The Los Angeles Journal. He inherited it from his father-in-law many years ago. Keagan Hays is fifty years old and extremely pig-headed. He is selfish, self-centered, and seemingly unconcerned about his three daughters: Cameron, Blair, and Jackie, as well as his wife Cecelia.
When Keagan informs his daughter Cameron that he will not send her to Russia to cover stories about the war, she goes to work for his competitor. Max Arnett, the editor of The Globe, considers sending her to cover news stories in the Soviet Union.
When Cameron was a young girl, her family moved to Russia for six years as her father was working over there. She really loved it and always wanted to return. Her father sends Johnny Shenahan to Russia, telling Cameron it is way too dangerous for a woman to go. Johnny is one of Cameron’s best friends, but she feels betrayed by her father. She wants his approval and is determined to prove herself to him, despite his indifference to her.
Jackie, the nineteen-year-old youngest daughter in the family is the only one of the siblings following the Lord. The others have been turned off, hurt by their father’s rejection. They are all looking for love, but the oldest two want to present themselves as strong and in need of nothing. Throughout the books, they all draw closer to the Lord and realize their need for him.
Cameron and Johnny both end up in Russia and their eyes are opened in many ways. They realize they can’t just send articles back due to intense censorship. They endure many air raids as the Germans bomb the area. They also meet others who have struggled and endured much.
Different events take place in the story, and when it concludes, you are ready to start on the next book. I learned a lot from this story and enjoyed it very much. I know you will as well. It is best enjoyed by readers eighteen and above.
Patsy Ledbetter has written poetry, short stories, devotionals, and book reviews for many years. She has also been a drama instructor, special needs teacher and substitute teacher. She and Kevin have been married for 41 years. They lost their oldest son Craig when he was 33. They now have three children, Vanessa, Bethany and David. They also have five grandchildren, Elyse, Aurora, Hayden, Molly, and Hudson. Kevin has been a music pastor most of his life and together they serve the Lord in a local church. Patsy loves to read, pray, and spend time outdoors and with family and friends. Her main desire is to bring glory to God through all the talents He has given her.
The Knight’s Map by R.C. Sproul with illustrations by Richard Lawnes, and published by Ligonier Ministries (2016) is a beautifully illustrated children’s storybook. It opens with a letter to parents explaining the purpose and inspiration for the story. The author suggests ways parents can enrich the reading experience. He quotes Matthew 13:45-46, which compares the kingdom of God to a pearl of great price. The story is an allegory based on the parables of Jesus.
A boy tells his father how kids at school are teasing him for reading the Bible, calling it an old book full of made-up stories. His father says that Grandpa may have an answer to that.
That evening, Grandpa gathers the grandchildren around him. He tells them about a knight named Sir Charles who wonders if the Great King that people talk about is real or just a story. One day, the knight receives a letter signed by the Great King, with a map inside. The map promises a wonderful treasure. Sir Charles is not sure if this is true, but finally decides to take a journey to find out.
The map is hard for him to read. He meets Mr. Skeptic, Mr. Idol Maker, and others, who confuse him. He gets lost. He almost gives up his quest. Then Mr. Pilgrim points him to the Lamp Maker, who says he made Sir Charles’ map. He explains the history of the Great King and his Son. After this, the knight understands the map better and is able to follow it more carefully.
On a mountainside, Sir Charles meets the Prince, the Son of the Great King. The Prince takes the knight to stay forever in the Great King’s kingdom. Sir Charles is full of joy.
Grandpa explains to the children that the knight’s map is a picture of the Bible. He says that they must learn to trust it as Sir Charles learned to trust his map as a guide for his life’s journey.
In the back of the book, the author explores the meaning of the story through questions and answers. He lists Bible verses to support each point.
This book would be good to read aloud to children or to give as a gift. It is 37 pages long. On opening it, the reader usually finds a picture on one side and text on the facing page. The story font size is large enough to be easily read. (The note to parents and the questions and answers are in a smaller font.) It is designed for children, ages 8-12. You can find it on Amazon.
Donna Fujimoto’s children love to read. She is a graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary. Her collection of short stories, 9 Slightly Strange Stories with an Uplifting Edge is available as an e-book at Amazon.
If you have a horse lover in your family or among your young friends, Golden Filly Collection 1 written by Lauraine Snelling and published by Bethany House Publishers; 1st edition (2009) is a good, good read. The collection was originally published as five separate novels. Having it offered to you as a collection is not only good value for your money, but it will allow your young reader to follow the story without having to wait for the next book to come out. And I think your reader will be eager to follow the story.
Book 1, entitled The Race, opens with Tricia and her father on horseback riding on their track. The Runnin’ On Farm raises and trains thoroughbreds. It is clear in the first pages of The Race that both Hal and his sixteen-year-old daughter share a love of horses, a knowledge about thoroughbreds and a keen interest in racing them.
After testing Spitfire in a run on their track, Tricia is thrilled to report to her father the colt still had more to give. Both father and daughter consider and hope that Spitfire might be the race-winning horse that they have been waiting for. As they end the early morning workout, Hal has a coughing fit and coughs up blood. He says that he may need to see a doctor.
When Tricia returns from school, she learns that her father has been hospitalized. She is devastated. She refuses to go to the hospital to see him. She gives the excuse she will call him after she does the afternoon chores. While doing them, she notices that one of the horses is ill. Remembering what her father would do if he were there, she takes charge of the filly’s recovery. More horses come down with the virus. Tricia and her older brother, David, must and do take the necessary steps to help the horses get well.
The doctors diagnose Tricia’s father as having lung cancer. This life-threatening illness dramatically changes the lives of the family members. Hal undergoes treatment which leaves him sick and weak. Marge, his wife, devotes most of her time to supporting and caring for her husband. The farm is a business, not a hobby, and there is a lot of work. David delays his return to college so that he can help his parents and carry more of the responsibilities of running the farm. He and Tricia with the help of two of her high school friends take on the chores of caring for and training the horses.
Tricia has a gift for working with horses as well as a great love for them. Tricia’s mother complicates Trish’s pursuit of her dream of becoming a jockey. She fears that it is too dangerous an occupation. The story soon shows that Marge’s fears are not unreasonable.
Tricia believes in God and often asks for His help, but she expects God to heal her father immediately. When He doesn’t, Trish’s faith in God falters. Though very ill, her father helps her to begin to grow-up in her faith in God.
There are numerous twists and setbacks before Spitfire, with Trish as jockey, can run his first race. It will be his first win, but it will not be his last. The next four exciting novels will take Tricia and Spitfire through to the championship of the Triple Crown. For the reader, it’s a good ride, full of thrilling moments, growing spiritual understanding, fascinating information about horses and racing, and fun characters. (I particularly liked the horses. They were as individual as the people.)
The first novel has 123 pages and subsequent novels range from 107 to 130 pages in length. I disagree with the books’ posted grade levels on Amazon. I think the father’s serious illness might be too disturbing for girls younger than eleven. The novels would be better and well enjoyed by girls ages 11 to 14.
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) Her latest works for children are I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, mystery novels for girls 10-13. For several years she was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
Kindle allows me to offer you my novel, I Get a Clue, for free. But I can only offer it for a few days. So, beginning tomorrow, Thursday, March 7, and through Saturday, March 9 you can order I Get a Clue and not pay even a penny. You don’t have to join Kindle Unlimited to take advantage of the offer. Good deal, right?
Your pre-teen girl will enjoy I Get a Clue. It is full of adventure, friends and mystery–all in the amazing city of Edinburgh, Scotland.
You’ll feel pleased about your pre-teen reading this novel. The young heroine is an authentic pre-teen, but I Get a Clue is not like many general market books. God and His values are part of our young heroine’s life.
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) Her latest works for children are I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, mystery novels for girls 10-13. For several years she was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
I almost didn’t read The Last Place I Want to Be by P. Buchanan and published by Kregel Publications (2009). The “My Disclaimer” pages before the novel begins annoyed me. I didn’t like the character who was going to be telling me her story. She sounded like one of those sassy, self-important teenage girls (very popular in media) that you wouldn’t want your daughter to hang out with. But the novel wasn’t like that. Once Amy started her story for real, I found her likable and her story genuine.
As the novel opens, fourteen-year-old Amy has got a major problem, several actually. Her parents have put all their money into purchasing a Bed and Breakfast that they intend to run after repairing it. The inn is on the coast across the country from where they live. Amy must leave her best friend, her journalism teacher, her school–everything familiar behind.
Adding to her difficulties, her new school is a high school rather than a junior high. Amy whose great love is journalism was the editor of her school newspaper and she is quite proud of that. At her new school, she may or may not be invited to be part of the staff. The other students and the teacher will vote; Amy soon finds out the vote was three to two to accept her.
On the first night in the Bed and Breakfast, Amy meets Billie. Billie delivers a pizza the family ordered. She is a little older than Amy, but they become friends. Billie is on the staff of the paper; she covers high school sports. Unlike Amy, she is not particularly ambitious, but she is friendly and invites Amy into her life.
Amy learns that living in this rural area is quite different from what she has known. She does take some missteps, but most, though embarrassing, are quickly resolved.
What she can’t quickly resolve is her relationship with the student editor Jamie. Amy resents Jamie for not giving her more important assignments and for not placing her stories more prominently in the paper. Amy doesn’t see, until Jamie points it out to her, that this newspaper is not just a school newspaper; it is the newspaper that the citizens of the rural community rely on for their news. Being on the staff is a great privilege and very demanding.
At home Amy’s father, who has always been very confident, begins to lose confidence in himself. He becomes very discouraged about his decision to buy the inn. The repairs are more extensive than they thought and more expensive than expected.
A heavy rain reveals that the Bed and Breakfast needs a new roof and Amy’s father becomes overwhelmed and depressed. Amy’s mother who is a Christian takes it more in stride, telling Amy that God is in control. Amy who is not a Christian, watches somewhat in awe as her mother, relying on prayer, makes some bold decisions. The reader sees as Amy sees that God does answer prayer, but He answers them His way. The novel has surprises, as does life, but it ends well.
This fish-out-of-water/new-girl-on-the-block is a good, good read for girls 11 to 14. I think they will relate to Amy, her missteps, her struggles to follow her dream, and her honest reaching for a relationship with God. I think they will like Amy’s new friends, Billie and Theresa, and enjoy the budding, and sometimes humorous, romance between Billie and Mark. This novel is one of the places your young teen reader wants to be.
Just a note: The novel is set in a small Northern California community during contemporary times. Amy’s friends in the novel, Billie and Theresa, have their driver’s licenses and drive Amy various places. But according to the current California Driver’s Handbook, drivers below the age of 18 may not transport passengers under 20 years old unless there is another adult over the age of 24 in the car.
I mention this discrepancy between the real world and the world of this novel because it could be useful. It gives you, the parent or other caring adult, the opportunity to point out to your pre-teen/teen that while novels and TV do entertain and can enlighten us about the human soul, novels, TV, etc. are works of fiction. They should be read or watched critically, and they should definitely not be relied on for information about the law, etc. (A neighbor of mine is a retired lawyer. You should hear what he has to say about TV law.)
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) Her latest works for children are I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, mystery novels for girls 10-13. For several years she was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
Once Upon a Wardrobe written by Patti Callahan and published by Harper Muse (2021) is a sweet, profoundly touching novel. If you read it, you might cry. It also might make you think.
In December 1950 a young college woman wants desperately to help her eight-year-old brother. George is dying. He has a severe heart condition. He was born with a weak heart and at a time when doctors can do little to help him. As the novel begins there have been numerous scares already, rushes to the hospital. The little boy is growing weaker, and it is unlikely that he will live to nine.
House-bound, George has become enthralled with Narnia and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. He has read the recently published novel and now talks of nothing else. He asks Megs, his older sister, who attends Oxford to ask C.S. “Jack” Lewis, the author and a professor at Magdalen College at Oxford, where did Narnia come from? George is sure it is real.
Megs’ mind is logical; her forte is mathematics and physics. She is sure this book for children is solely from the author’s imagination. But after reading the novel and because her love for George is great, she promises him she will seek out Lewis and ask him. And as fate or something else would allow, Megs meets Warnie, Jack’s older brother, and is invited to the Kilns, their home, to ask George’s question.
C.S. Lewis tells Megs a story, a biographical sketch really, from his childhood as a way of beginning to answer George’s question. He will not allow Megs to take notes, only listen. She should, he tells her, when she returns to her rooms write it all down. He also invites her to come back.
Megs writes it all down in her rooms, and as soon as she can, she takes a train home. At home she reads what she has written to George. Together they decide that her reading should begin once upon a wardrobe, not very long ago and not far away.
George asks for colored pencils and paper which Megs buys for him. He begins to draw wonderful pictures of what he hears. Using his imagination, he breathes life into the facts of Lewis’ stories. Megs is awed at George’s previously unknown talent as are his parents.
Megs continues to meet with Jack and Warnie and hear more stories from Jack’s life. At one point, learning of a very sad time in Mr. Lewis’ life, she asks George whether or not she should continue and tell him about it. George, wiser than his years, says all stories have their scary parts. The dark parts happen before the good ones.
Megs’ perspective begins to broaden because of her meetings with Professor Lewis and because of George’s reactions and insights into the stories. Her life also changes. While on her way to a meeting with Jack and his brother, Megs begins what will become a romance with a fellow student, Padraig.
Answering George’s question and fulfilling his Christmas wish takes the story out of the Kilns and George’s bedroom. George, Megs and Padraig go on an adventure, a very risky, but life-altering adventure.
Some people will like this novel. They will find themselves, like George found himself in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, in the novel. I did.
I was in Oxford when it was winter and not yet Christmas. I sat at George’s bedside with Megs, and I listened in the cozy room at the Kilns as Lewis told stories of his life. I went scared but excited with George, Megs, and Padraig on the big adventure. And most importantly, I heard as the story drew to a close, God whisper to me about the deep magic of my own story in His hands, the hands of a master craftsman.
This is a surprisingly wonderful novel. It will slip softly, but powerfully into your heart and mind.
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) Her latest works for children are I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, mystery novels for girls 10-13. For several years she was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
Until We Find Home, by Cathy Gohlke and published by Tyndale House Publishers (2018), is the perfect World War II read. It contains mystery, suspense, drama, romance, and lots of wonderful Christian life lessons.
In 1940 Claire Stewart, an American girl from New Jersey, is in France to help usher Jewish children to safety in England. She works with Arnaud, a young man whom she loves but who has not yet made any commitment to her. Her good friend, Josephine Ganute, helps with the children as does Sylvia Beach, who owns an American bookstore called Shakespeare and Company.
As the first chapter begins, Josephine is encouraging Claire to usher a group of five children out of France. Claire asks if it is certain that Arnaud will meet her before the children get on the boat and if the contact to take them to England will be there. Josephine assures her all is well.
But it isn’t. Nothing turns out as it should, and Arnaud and the additional contact never show up.
Claire must take the children to England on her own. The five children are two sets of siblings and an additional young girl named Aimee. The siblings are Janine and Elise, around twelve and seven and Bertram and Gaston, ages thirteen and eight. Aimee is about five.
In England, they stay temporarily at the ship captain’s home while he obtains necessary forged papers for them. It is the only place they can stay. Claire is extremely upset. She worries about what could have happened to Arnaud. She also wants to return to France and help many more children flee the country as it is being attacked by the Germans. The captain tells her it is absolutely impossible for her to return, and that the children need her to care for them.
Claire has an aunt, Miranda Langford, who lives in northern England in the Lake District at Windermere Estate. Claire hopes she may stay with her, but Miranda, nearly fifty years of age, and Mildred, her sister and Claire’s mother, have been estranged for many years.
Claire is also not close to her mother. She has not heard from her for the ten months since she left New Jersey. Claire’s father left many years ago. Now with Arnaud missing, she feels very much alone and unloved. She grew up with a knowledge of God, but she doesn’t feel He could possibly be real. Through her trials and the challenges of directing the lives of the five children, Claire comes to a saving understanding of Jesus and what He has done for her.
Aunt Miranda is very surprised to see Claire and the children, but she agrees to let them stay. Claire is the only relative she wants in her life. She wishes things were different with her sister, but she does not feel the situation can be helped.
Several years ago, Miranda’s husband Gilbert passed away. Her son Christopher was only a young man when he died less than a year ago. Miranda is still dealing with the grief. Dr. Mac Donald has been in her life since her husband passed away. He loves her and wants to marry her, but she is not ready to begin a new life with him.
Soon David Campbell, a young man from West Virginia, moves into Miranda’s house. Campbell, an engineer, is doing war work in the area, and the war office has requested that Miranda house him. He travels often, but when he is there, he is very good with the children. He becomes a huge help in running the household. He has a strong faith in Jesus.
Throughout this story, many ups and downs occur and the plot twists and turns in very meaningful ways. The children grow up and learn to care for one another. Aunt Miranda comes to learn new ways of interacting, and Claire learns how much Jesus cares for her. At one point, she writes a letter to C.S. Lewis seeking advice on her spiritual growth.
I enjoyed this story tremendously and I know you will as well. It is recommended for readers eighteen and above.
Patsy Ledbetter has written poetry, short stories, devotionals, and book reviews for many years. She has also been a drama instructor, special needs teacher and substitute teacher. She and Kevin have been married for 41 years. They recently lost their oldest son Craig, age 33. They now have three children, Vanessa, Bethany and David. They also have four grandchildren, Elyse, Aurora, Hayden, and Molly. Kevin has been a music pastor most of his life and together they serve the Lord in a local church. Patsy loves to read, pray, and spend time outdoors and with family and friends. Her main desire is to bring glory to God through all the talents He has given her.
A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury and published by Howard Books (2016), will warm your heart. It will start you thinking again about Jesus and his wonderful miracles in our lives, especially at Christmas time.
John Baxter, the patriarch of the Baxter family, feels led by the Lord to invite a stranger, Kendra Bryant and her husband Moe to dinner on Christmas Eve. But she is the recipient of his deceased daughter Erin’s heart and he isn’t sure how his five adult children, their spouses and his grandchildren will handle it.
Several years ago, his youngest daughter, Erin Hogan, her husband Sam and three children passed away in a terrible car accident. They were hit by a drunk driver and only one of their daughters survived, Amy aged ten. Erin’s heart was given to Kendra Bryant who is very grateful, however she is having trouble in her marriage and searching for meaning.
John Baxter’s wife of thirty years, Elizabeth passed away many years ago, and now he is married to Elaine. He has five adult children and many grandchildren. The three daughters and husbands are Brooke and Peter West, Ashley and Landon Blake and Kari and Ryan Taylor. The sons and wives are Dayne and Katy Baxter and Luke and Reagan Baxter. Amy, the only survivor of the accident, lives with Ashley and Landon.
Even though Ashley thinks it would be a nice gesture for her father to invite Kendra to the annual Christmas Eve dinner, she questions her father’s timing, and is worried about young Amy. She is afraid that Amy will be saddened when she learns she is meeting the woman who received her mother’s heart. She is also afraid she will be reminded of the tragedy all over again. Although Ashley has a good point and is right to be concerned, Amy overhears her aunt and uncle talking about the situation and actually feels intrigued by the prospect of meeting this woman, hugging her and actually feeling her mother’s heart beat.
There is also a sub-plot. Maddie West, the eighteen-year-old daughter of Brook and Peter has a sad secret. Maddie still blames herself for a near drowning that occurred when she was five. She and her father and sister were at a friend’s swimming party. Her father gave her specific instructions to never take her eyes off her younger sister, Hayley.
The girls had their life vests on in the pool. Peter helped them take the vests off so they could eat their cake. Hayley later wandered out to the pool by herself. Maddie knew she was headed that way but didn’t stop her. When she realized she had gone into the pool, she yelled for her father, and all the adults came running.
Hayley fell into the pool, and when rescued by her father, was gradually revived, but not expected to live any kind of a normal life. God had performed many miracles and there was so much Hayley could now do even though she was different from other young people.
Many plot twists and events occur, but most of all the story teaches us that this family, who is so close to the Lord, truly does want to reach out to strangers at Christmas time and help them to understand the significance of God’s love. They are also amazed about how much Kendra has to teach them.
This is a very uplifting and encouraging story, and especially at this time of year. I know that you will love it, just like I did. I would recommend this story for readers eighteen and above.
Patsy Ledbetter has written poetry, short stories, devotionals, and book reviews for many years. She has also been a drama instructor, special needs teacher and substitute teacher. She and Kevin have been married for 41 years. They recently lost their oldest son Craig, age 33. They now have three children, Vanessa, Bethany and David. They also have four grandchildren, Elyse, Aurora, Hayden, and Molly. Kevin has been a music pastor most of his life and together they serve the Lord in a local church. Patsy loves to read, pray, and spend time outdoors and with family and friends. Her main desire is to bring glory to God through all the talents He has given her.
Too early to think about Christmas gifts? Maybe not. I can point you to some worthy ones for kids–gift subscriptions to magazines.
There are some terrific magazines available for Christian kids. Focus on the Family currently produces two magazines for kids and one magazine for teen girls. Clubhouse Jr. is targeted for children 3- to 7-years old; Clubhouse is written for 8- to 12-year-olds and Brio is for teen girls. Nature Friend is a special interest magazine for families.
I am the the most familiar with the magazines from Focus on the Family. Written to encourage and support kids in their walk with God, Clubhouse Jr. and Clubhouse contain articles, short stories (mysteries, re-told Bible stories, contemporary stories with a point, humorous short pieces), quizzes, games, crafts and even recipes. These magazines come twelve times a year to a child’s doorstep and with his/her name on it. They will bless a child all year long.
Brio, which comes out six times per year, is an outstanding magazine that teen girls will love. Its articles, profiles, quizzes and journaling opportunities will help and support Christian girls as they navigate the new worlds of middle school and high school.
The magazines are written with kids in mind and they present topics that interest kids. When the stories or articles wrestle with a life difficulty, the subject is handled in a way that kids can relate to and is appropriate for a child. Oh, and did I forget to mention that the mags are fun?
I’ve been giving subscriptions to the Focus on the Family magazines for many years and the kids have loved, loved them. It has been such a pleasure for me to give gifts that are affordable ($29.99 per year) and good value for your money.
As a former teacher, I think magazines can be particularly valuable. Short, informative, well-written pieces with great pictures encourage a child to read and enjoy reading, even a child who may still be struggling to read.
I spoke with the staff at Nature Friend and they have a lot going on. Their desire is to bless their readers with a rich look at the world God has created. Browse their website to read a few of their fascinating articles about our natural world and see the fun activities that they suggest for the whole family.
The subscription price is $55 per year and you get 12 issues. There is a study guide for each month that is 16 pages long and contains puzzles, questions, recipes, nature-friendly gardening tips, etc. that are tied to the articles of that month’s issue. The study guide is an extra charge which amounts to $3 more a month. The whole package is $91 per year which breaks down to $7 and some change and for what you get it seems good to me. Nature Friend wanted me to particularly tell you to take a look at and consider their contests and events pages.
It has been suggested to me that Keys for Kids, which is for children 6- to 12-year-olds, and Unlocked, which is for teens, are worth kids’ time. These are devotionals. From their online samples, they look good.
The websites below will give you more info.
Brio —https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/promos/brio-parents
Clubhouse Jr.—https://www.focusonthefamily.com/clubhouse-jr-magazine/
Clubhouse —https://www.focusonthefamily.com/clubhouse-magazine/
Keys for Kids—https://www.keysforkids.org/
Nature Friend Magazine—https://naturefriendmagazine.com/
Unlocked—https://unlocked.org
Shopping savvy: I spoke with Focus on the Family’s subscription line and the agent said that a postcard will be sent to the gift’s recipient. You should do it within the next couple of weeks so that the magazine begins arriving around the first of the new year.
If you are going to give a gift subscription to your child, you might also consider giving a gift subscription to the same magazine to one of your child’s grandparents or a beloved aunt or uncle. This could give that adult and your child some good conversation starters. And if you are the grandparent or aunt or uncle who is giving the subscription to your special child, why not get a subscription for yourself? The magazines are fun, informative and interesting, even if you grew up a while ago.
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) Her latest works for children are I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, mystery novels for girls 10-13. For several years she was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
A Pennyworth of Peppermints was written by Mary Weeks Millard and was published by Dernier Publishing (2014). This pre-teen novel is set in World War I Britain in Dorset and will be enjoyed by boys and girls ages 9-11.
The war has been going on for two years. As the story begins ten-year-old Ben’s oldest brother is in the military and his other brother is about to sign up. While playing at the shore, Ben and his friend, Sid, find a bottle with a message in it washed up on the beach. The friends agree to not open it until after Sunday School the next day.
The boys invite Sid’s twin sister, Vera, to join them, which is a good thing because the message is a poem and Vera is considered by them to be a good reader. Vera is the first to see that the poem seems to have a hidden message. The children decide to discover its meaning. They call themselves the Peppermint Detective Agency because Ben shares his peppermints with the twins.
Some of the clues in the poem the children figure out quickly and easily, but others baffle them and they must pursue the answers. The children are given time to pursue answers when they are given a week off from school because there is an outbreak of the Belgian Flush (the war name for the German measles).
In the early part of this week-off, Ben’s father unexpectedly, and to the family’s dismay, is called up for special and dangerous service. He must leave for training almost immediately. Ben’s mother sends Ben to Radipole Manor with a letter for his sister who is in service there. The children are excited to go to Radipole because they have figured out it is one of the clues in the poem. The poem has told them that a mole is in the churchyard there. The children look but don’t find any signs of moles.
Before Ben’s father leaves for training, he and Ben go for a walk. He gives Ben his New Testament and asks him to read a few lines from it each day, to pray, and to pray with his mother before bed. Ben agrees. During this heart-to-heart, Ben also asks his father if there are other meanings to the word “mole.” His father says it can also be a nickname for a spy.
Now the kids know that the poem is about a serious matter. But they decide to wait until they have more information before they give the message to the police.
Ben’s life changes dramatically when his father leaves. With her sons and her husband in the military, Ben’s mother decides she needs to get a job at the munitions plant to help pay the rent, feed her and Ben, and do her bit for the war effort. Her working outside the home means Ben will need to do more of the chores at home. Ben is offered and takes a small Saturday job with the local grocery.
Events keep drawing the children back to Radipole and the mystery that still needs to be solved. The children do solve it after some twists, some turns and some danger.
I think kids will enjoy Ben’s simple pleasures and exciting adventures. They will watch him grow in his faith in God and his care for others. They will also be intrigued and astounded with the world in which he and his friends live.
Wartime brings some sad, scary and worrisome situations into Ben’s young life, but he and other children like him live with other hardships and challenges as well. Advanced schooling is not a given in a working-class child’s life. Many young people leave school at fourteen to help their mothers in the home or get paying jobs to help support the family. Even school-age children have many responsibilities. In the novel children must look after younger siblings, work in the vegetable garden, kill rabbits for food, and gather firewood for stoves that are also the only source of heat in the homes.
Even though there are hardships in the lives of these children, there are many blessings, joys, and pleasures. The children are more free to move about on their own than many children today. The kids in the novel relish and appreciate simple treats such as peppermints and day-old buns. They enjoy playing at the seashore, riding in a horse-drawn cart, and traveling on a train. They enjoy each other’s company. They enjoy the idea of helping their country. Ben realizes at one point in the story that God wanted “to fill his life with good things even when there were bad things happening.”
I think elementary school children will find A Pennyworth of Peppermints an interesting, exciting read.
Nancy Ellen Hird is a mom, a writer and a credentialed teacher. (She taught seventh grade and preschool.) You can learn more about her and her mystery novels for pre-teens, I Get a Clue and We All Get a Clue, at www.nancyellenhird.com . For several years Nancy Ellen Hird was a freelance reviewer of children’s and teen’s literature for the Focus on the Family website.
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