Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Searching for Family, Book 1

Jesse Hall, 8, is devastated when his pregnant mother moves the two of them out of the apartment they had shared with his father. His dad had beaten her up for the last time—and this time he’d almost made her lose the baby.

They end up renting the second floor in the nicest place he’d ever lived right across from the school. But some in the community turn away from Jesse and his mom when they discover his dad is in jail. Someone gives him a New Testament Bible. He has lots of questions as he begins reading it. He’d only attended church once.

This middle-grade story quickly snagged my attention and didn’t let go. The characters in this story tugged at my heart. There were many obstacles, twists, and turns for the struggling family. The way certain folks helped one another inspired me.

The ending left me hanging with looming changes for the characters that are likely the beginning of Book 2.

I enjoyed this story by this author and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Amazon

Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Missionary Doctor

I had read Mary Slessor: Missionary Mother, a biography written by Terri Kelly of a Scottish missionary (1848 – 1915) whose heart’s desire was to serve God and the people of Africa, and looked forward to reading Ida Scudder: Missionary Doctor.

Kelly did not disappoint me.

Ida Scudder was reluctant to join her parents’ mission in India. She had a mind of her own and lived with a spirit of fun back at the Northfield Seminary for Girls in Massachusetts. After all, it’s 1889, and the high school student didn’t want to live the rest of her life in poverty at the mission.

Then her mother falls ill and Ida needs to return to India. Caring for her mother through her illness and seeing the great need for female doctors changes her mind about her future.

I love how the author allows Ida’s mischievous nature to shine as well as her real struggle with her decision to become a missionary doctor.  

Her life and fierce faith changed many lives.

This biography is written for children 9 – 12. I’d say that middle-school aged boys and girls will be inspired by this story.  

I also recommend it for adults. Though written in language children can understand, this biography was a page turner for me.

I will look for more books by this author.

-Sandra Merville Hart

Christianbook.com

by Sandra Merville Hart

Buck is a St. Bernard-Scotch shepherd, a large, strong dog who has known only a kind, loving owner when the story begins. Buck is stolen from his California home and sold to a cruel man who beats him. Buck is taken north to Alaska for the Gold Rush in 1897.

There Buck, a dominant yet untrained dog, learns to pull a sled with a team. He learns to fight with other dogs, often to the death. New owners buy him from time to time, and Buck grows increasingly wilder. Each new situation is worse than before until John Thornton rescues him.

There’s a lot of violence between the dogs and terrible abuse from the owners. The story is written in Buck’s point of view, making those scenes especially difficult to read.

This is my first time reading Jack London’s classic novel. I’d heard it was a children’s story, but it’s better suited for middle-grade or older due to the recurring violence and abuse at the hands of Buck’s cruel owners.

It’s a strong, well-written story but I’m not recommending it for children.