Aru Shah and the End of Time

Brief overview:

Twelve-year-old Aru Shah wants nothing more than to fit in at school, but sometimes she lets her imagination take things too far. When some peers show up and confront Aru's lie, she lights a lamp she wasn't supposed to and now she must save the world before time ends.

Recommended age range: 11 + (with adult or intentional conversations)

Strengths:

• A likeable, flawed main character with a character arc fitting for a 12-year-old
• Similar to the stories Rick Riordan writes, unpacking mythology through storytelling 
• Explores the world of Hindu mythology in an adventurous way
• Sprinkles in humor 

Notes for Parents:

• This story is told from a Hindu worldview. Young readers will hear about reincarnation. In this story, Aru and her sister are reincarnations of past warriors. This can be a springboard to unpack what Hindus believe about life after death and how this differs from what the Bible teaches.
• Demons are a part of this story, but depicted according to a Hindu perspective. The bad guy, the Sleeper, is a demon, but he didn't used to be. This can be used as a touchpoint for unpacking what the Bible teaches on demons.
• Aru lies to try to fit in and thinks that's all she can do well. But as the story unfolds, Aru realizes she has a good imagination and that's the real gift. This could be a useful conversation about why honesty matters.
• Lots of gods and goddesses referenced in this book.
• Aru and her sister battle some scary people along the way who want to hurt or kill them. 
• Aru starts at not thinking all the myths are true but through her journey realizes they are, thus affirming the validity of the Hindu worldview.
• pg. 86 - "Who should I cut first?"
• pg. 155 - reference to Mini's brother being gay, but hiding it
• pg. 165 - "a very good daydream" with winky face beside it
• pg. 301 - "A dozen or so demons with blood-spattered jaws"
• pg. 305 - "someone's head (literally) flew past her"
• pg. 308 - "Blood and spit flew over the walls."

Final Thoughts

This book provided insight into the world of Hinduism through storytelling. The Hindu religion can be difficult to track with from a Western point of view. This story places readers into a fictionalized understanding of Hindu mythology and pulls the curtain open to better understanding this worldview. Unlike Rick Riordan's writings, this book highlights religion more strongly (in this series that's Hinduism) than perhaps other books pulling from mythology. 

Shooting Kabul

Brief overview:

Relocating to California from Afghanistan hasn't been easy for sixth grader, Fadi, and his family. But winning a photography contest could give Fadi a chance to find his missing little sister.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Lovable characters who you root for 
• Well-written multi-cultural story 
• Navigates harder topics well for this age
• Introduces young readers to Afghan culture in a personable way
• Photography a part of the storyline
• Shows a loving, supportive family walking through difficult times
• Grants young readers a chance to understand the life of a refugee in an engaging way

Notes for Parents:

• [Spoiler alert] Some bullying takes place in the book (but it's not the primary focus). At one point, Fadi fights back and gets suspended from school for three days along with the two bullies. Later on, Fadi and some other boys who were bullied confront the bullies. Rather than cross the line of using physicality, the group opts to toss the bullies into the lake.
• [Spoiler Alert] In one scene, Fadi's guilt and stress about his missing sister triggers him in a toy store. His missing sister owned a well-loved Barbie and when he sees some in the store, he tries to destroy them. This isn't a long scene and the character is kind, but this scene shows his guilt and stress about the situation.
• [Spoiler Alert]: Fadi tries to runaway to the airport by hiding in the trunk of his dad's taxi car to find his missing sister. He's unsuccessful and gets in trouble for this foolish move. 
• This book takes place around the time of 9/11. This isn't the focus of the book, but it is mentioned and provides a backdrop to the some of the difficulties Fadi faces.
• [Spoiler alert] It's unclear if Fadi ever shares with his family that he feels responsible for his sister getting lost, but he does confide in his photography teacher.
• Uses "drunken turkey" and "p*ssed" once. 

I, Doko: The Tale of a Basket

Brief overview:

A Nepali folktale about valuing the elderly told from the perspective of a basket, doko.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Beautiful illustrations 
• Story adapted from a traditional Nepalese folktale
• Multi-generational families depicted to show the course of our lives and how roles shift over time
• A way to introduce Nepali culture to young readers
• Emphasizes the value of every human life isn't measured by age

Additional Notes:

• Deals with a heavier topic: our responsibility to care for our aging loved ones
• Seems less suited for the typical picture book audience, but could be useful for families interested in learning about other cultures or for older elementary kids doing a country unit study on Nepal.
• This is a bit more in line with traditional fairytales and touches on its lesson in a heavy hitting sort of way. In this story, the following topics are mentioned: drought, the death of a loved one, injury, a mistake leading to a fire, quarreling, considering sending an elderly loved one somewhere else to provide better care, the child providing the key lesson of the story. I would recommend parents reading this first to determine if this style suites their family.
• Could pair this with a biblical story about how God creates each person in His image and our responsibility to care for others

A Wish in the Dark

Brief overview:

Pong is an orphan raised inside the walls of a prison in a land of magical lights. When Pong escapes, he realizes fairness doesn't exist in the world beyond the prison either. The daughter of the prison warden, Nok, has one mission: return Pong to jail. Join Pong and Nok as the crossing of their paths changes the course of their lives.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Thai-inspired world weaves cultural elements into a world of fantasy
• Great characters you want to track with
• Fast-paced read
• Explores the theme of the importance of doing our part to push back the darkness in the world

Additional Notes:

• Written as a modern twist on Les Misérables for young readers
• Touches on themes of poverty 
• Author portrays characters as capable of having good hearts on their own and able to push back darkness apart from Christ. But could foster a good conversation about the importance of believers being light in a dark world in whatever ways the Lord leads.

Saving Kabul Corner

Brief overview:

Ariana's family has owned the only Afghan grocery in the plaza for years. But one day a rival Afghan grocery store opens up and reignites an old feud from Afghanistan. When events start happening that hurt both stores, Ariana must uncover who's behind it before both stores go out of business.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• A relatable cast of characters
• Touches on themes of rivalry, jealousy, family, and friendship
• Kids acting as detectives to uncover who is behind events hurting both stores
• Portrays Afghan culture in a natural way throughout the story
• Fun read overall
• Kids ultimately share key findings with a trusted adult who helps them 
• Love how Ariana is a fan of origami

Additional Notes:

• The kids do lie a couple of times to get information, but the main character does acknowledge feeling bad about it. Also, it can provide a touchpoint for Christian parents to discuss the topic of lying in the Bible.
• This is the second book in a series called The Kabul Chronicles. But the first book has a different main character (who you "see" in book 2, but isn't very much a part of this second story).
• While some rivalries felt a bit too easily resolved, I really enjoyed this book and intend to read the first one, Shooting Kabul (where the main character likes photography).

The Breadwinner

Brief overview:

Set in the late 1990s in Kabul, Afghanistan, 11-year-old Parvana's father is taken to prison. Their family is left without a way to earn money or get basic necessities outside the home with a male relative at home. Parvana is left with one option to provide for her family: disguise herself as a boy.

Recommended age range: 12 years old & up

Strengths:

• Historical fiction capturing a time and country often not written about
• Provides a glimpse into life under the Taliban rule in the late 1990s

Additional Notes:

• A couple of scenes could've been omitted or portrayed less intense to better fit into a middle grade book for kids:
• Parvana and her mother are beaten by soldiers when they go to the prison
• Parvana and her friend see the Taliban cut off the hands of men who stole something
• The main characters are Afghan, but written by a Western woman.
• A short conversation between Parvana and Shauzia about how once their bodies change, they won't be able to hide that their actually girls makes for an awkward scene that really wasn't necessary to the storyline.
• A heavier read without much light.
• Despite Islam being central to Afghan life, religion isn't mentioned at all in the book.
• This is the first book in a series.
• This book was originally published in 2001. Since that time, the Taliban were pushed out of leadership in the country and then returned to power in 2021.
• The Breadwinner has been turned into a graphic novel and a PG-13 movie.
• The recommended age is for middle grade readers (ages 9-12), but due to heaviness of this book, I opted to recommend an older age. 

NOTE: A review doesn't mean I'm recommending a book, but I want to share some factors to consider before determining if this book would be right for your family in my review. 

Pray First (For Young Readers)

Brief overview:

This guidebook teaches kids how powerful praying to God can be. It includes sample prayers, activities, and questions to unpack each chapter.

Recommended age range: 8-12 years old

Strengths:

• Unpacks prayer in terms kids can understand

• Gives practical ways for kids to grow in prayer

• Provides questions at the end of each chapter to help kids process and apply what they've read regarding prayer

• Includes sidebars inviting young readers to look up a particular Bible verse to answer a question and engage with Scripture

• Simple, yet visually appealing design

Additional Notes:

• I received a free copy of this book from Tommy Nelson to provide an honest review.
• A great tool to work through together with your kids.

The Best Kids Cookbook

Brief overview:

This cookbook for kids provides a variety of fun, kid-friendly recipes to grow cooking skills.

Recommended age range: 6-10 years old

Strengths:

• Loaded with ample recipes to choose from for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dips, and desserts.
• Includes an overview of the basics of cooking for kids.
• Visually appealing to kids.
• Every recipe has its own picture.
• Cooking tips sprinkled through the book.
• Each recipe packed with flavor.

Recipe Notes:

• Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  - Super crumbly until they're completely cool. I cooked them longer than the recipe called for because they still looked too gooey in the middle to pull out after 20 minutes. But my kids LOVED this recipe.
• In a Flash Chicken Pot Pie - The picture is misleading. You're not making mini chicken pot pies, but one large one. Also, the filling ended up more soup-like than expected. Super tasty!
• Zesty, Zesty Italian Dressing - Fast and fun way to make a homemade dressing. My 9-year-old loved getting to shake all the ingredients up. When we stored it in the fridge, it became too thick and we'd have to leave the dressing out awhile before use.
• Campfire Oatmeal Cookies - Such a fun and tasty recipe! Like s'mores on a camping trip in a cookie.
• Rockin' Red Beans and Sausage - Since the title didn't advertise it as a stew I wasn't expecting it to be soupy, but it tasted good.

Additional Notes:

• I received a free copy of this book from Tommy Nelson to provide an honest review.
• We didn't make all the recipes, but tried ones based on what appealed to my kids as they flipped through.
• I wish it included a few more instructions for how to tell if something was fully cooked or not (for kids).
• The recipes don't include a total time estimate, but breaks it into prep time and cook time. 

Brother's Keeper

Brief overview:

Brother's Keeper invites middle grade readers into the world of North Korean refugees during the 1950s. Join 12-year-old Sora and her Christian family as they flee the war in North Korea and walk hundreds of miles to South Korea.

Recommended age range: 4th grade & up

Strengths:

• Provides a kid-friendly angle to this historical event
• Sora is a main character you want to root for, despite her flaws
• Learning about the culture of North Korea and the difficulty presented during the Korean War for many North Koreans who didn't agree with the communist government
• Brings the reality Christians in North Korea faced during the Korean War to light
• Sora's growth arc is well done and believable, but incredibly hard earned

Additional Notes:

• This book deals with some heavy emotions, including Sora's mixed feelings toward her younger brothers because she must stop attending school to care for them.
• Sora's relationship with her mother is complex, but when viewed from the Korean perspective, one can understand her mother was trying to prepare her for what was expected of women in North Korea. (A reality woven from different women characters throughout the book.)
• The kids experience some weighty events, including bombings, a drowning, a baby dying, an elderly man soiling himself on a long, cramped train ride, lost of a loved one. Again, these are mostly depicted in appropriate ways for young readers (not too over the top), but they are present in this storyline.
• The reality of the communism and the war is depicted from a kid's perspective, but can be heavy at moments. 
• An adult may want to read ahead to determine if a certain scene or description could be skipped without missing out on the overarching narrative of the story.
• Reading the story together might provide a better opportunity to discuss any difficult (but real) moments with a young reader. 
• Spoiler: Why Sora's parents didn't seem to search for her and her brother was unclear. Their route to South Korea was so much easier and the parents didn't seem to really want to hear the difficulties their kids endured to be reunited with them.

Orange for the Sunsets

Brief overview:

This middle grade novel explores the historical event in 1972 when President Idi Amin announced Indians must leave Uganda in 90 days. The story unpacks how this news impacts two friends on different sides of the edict.

Recommended age range: 4th grade & up

Strengths:

• Provides a kid-friendly angle to this historical event
• Switches between two different POVs (Yesofu and Asha) which allows readers to see this story from an African and Indian perspective
• Well-written to pull reader along in the narrative
• Asha grapples with issues she never thought of before and experiences real growth
• Yesofu's journey is powerful as he balances loyalty to a friend who never fully understood his world, but a desire to remain a part of his community without crossing any lines

Additional Notes:

• As the book progresses, more violence is mentioned. While this is adapted for young readers, it may be worth a parent reading ahead to ensure they're comfortable with various scenes (such as a teacher getting beat up, kids threatened by a soldier with a gun, etc.) 
• References to other violence is mentioned in conversations between kids (such as people killed and thrown into the river).
• Toward the end of the book, there's a scene where Yesofu and his dad go fishing in a boat and catch a dead body by accident. This moment doesn't add much to the storyline and could be skipped.

When Stars Are Scattered

Brief overview:
This graphic novel invites young readers into the world of a Somali boy, Omar, living in a Kenyan refugee camp with his non-speaking younger brother.

Recommended age range: 5th grade & up

Strengths:

• Paints a picture of life as a refugee kid
• Sheds insight into how Omar's Muslim faith influences him
• Dives into hard issues in a kid-focused way
• Based on a true story
• Highlights the importance of doing the best you can with what you're given
• Provides perspective on the gift education truly is
• Demonstrates the ups and downs of community, but also how incredibly powerful and beautiful it can be

Additional Notes:

• I listened to the audiobook and thought it well done.
• I encourage parents to read this together with their kid or listen to the audiobook together to pause as needed or skip parts based upon your kid.
• This graphic novel is divided into parts. The first part provides a good glimpse into the life of a refugee inside a camp. You could stop here for younger readers (and just read or listen to the first chapter in part two to get the cliffhanger answered from part one).
• You could skip the introduction to avoid the mention of his nightmares (which aren't described in detail, but just mentioned) and not miss anything important from the story to keep it lighter for young readers.
• As the graphic novel progresses, Omar gets older. Part one is written when he's around 11. Part two when he's 13 and part three when he's 17. This is important to keep in mind because Omar tackles his struggles from a growing vantage point as he grows.
• Part two delves into the civil war and how that landed Omar and his brother as orphans in a Kenyan refugee camp.
• Omar must share his story with a U.N. worker to be considered for resettlement. While explained in a kid-friendly way and not dwelled on, part of Omar's tragic story is the death of his father from soldiers and the separation from his mother. These are heavy issues and these scenes may be unsettling. Parents should read ahead to determine if this scene should be skipped or read together with their kid.
• Omar's Muslim faith is mentioned throughout the story. It provides a great way for kids to see how some aspects of Islam seem similar to Christianity, but provides a springboard to discuss the nuances between the two in how Omar views God's involvement in his own story.
• Ample chances to discuss different issues raised in this graphic novel. An eye-opening experience for middle grade readers (and parents).
• Omar shares the array of emotions experienced on the road to resettlement in powerful ways and the beauty of community within his refugee camp.

The Story of Martin Luther: The Monk Who Changed the World

Brief overview: 

Learn about the life of Martin Luther and how God used this ordinary monk to get the Bible into the hands of regular people.

Recommended age range: 8-13

Strengths: 

• Story provides depth to the story of Martin Luther for middle grade readers.
• Engaging way to learn about Martin Luther and unpack some lesser known facts about his life.
• Luther is presented as a real person who struggled with fear, but ultimately relied upon the Lord and turned to Scripture.

Additional Notes:

• The book opens with a thunderstorm scene where Martin Luther is worried about dying. If your kid struggles with the concept of death, this can be scary. But encouraging the kid to press on together because Luther learns how to no longer be fearful of death can be a useful tool.
• When learning about the different beliefs of the Catholic Church and Luther's battle with these, I found it useful to mention how those beliefs compare to what is in the Bible. (A good strategy when learning about any different worldview.)
• I was given a free copy of this book from Crossway to provide an honest review.

What's For Dinner?

Brief overview:

A quarterly Christian magazine aimed at helping families find small ways to incorporate faith into their busy days.

Recommended age range: 4-11

Strengths:

• Keeps things simple
• Provides fun ways to extend discipleship as a family  
• Focuses on one theme each issue.

Additional Notes:

• Based on the first issue, this would be ideal for K-3rd grades.
• Variety of games and activities to select from in each issue

2024 Top 5 Middle Grade Books

Each evening I read a chapter or two with each of my kids before bed. Since my kids are in elementary school, we read ample middle grade books (ages 8-12).

As I thought about some of the books we read, I landed on my favorite five books for 2024.

Best Family Ever had great characters with an engaging plot. I appreciated the way the author wove her story around a healthy family.

The Boy Who Met a Whale was an adventure based in Sri Lanka with characters you cared about.

Bob is an incredible character you just love journeying alongside and joining his own growth.

This series is so much fun: Trekking around the world on treasuring find missions with characters you love. Another great story with a healthy family at the center.

The main character makes this book shine and one you can't put down. I love how the kids rally around a refugee boy and extend friendship to him.

Looking forward to another year of more wonderful books to discover together with my kids!

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant

Brief overview: 

Chaya steals from wealthy people to give to those in need, but when she takes it a step too far she sends her friends on a treacherous adventure through the Sri Lankan jungle.

Recommended age range: 8-12

Strengths: 

• Story moves at a quick clip to keep readers engaged.
• Great way to learn about a different culture for young readers.
• Chaya is a compelling, intriguing, and likable character who makes kids want to trek alongside her.
• An entertaining narrative well-suited for fiction and enables middle-grade students to take a wild ride with a spunky character. 
• My 10-year-old son enjoyed reading this together because of how different Chaya and the storyline is from him/his life.

Additional Notes:

• Topics potentially worth unpacking with your child from this book: 
• Chaya steals from the rich to help the poor and this is held up as a good virtue throughout the book. She doesn't change her behavior even when there's no obvious need by the end. 
• Parents don't seem to play any role in being a place of wisdom and support in this story.
• The friends sometimes lie to try to protect others.
• While done in a kid-friendly way, political upheaval becomes key to the second half of the story.  
• I expected the elephant would be more central to the story.
• Author Nizrana Farook has more Sri Lankan-based adventures with different characters if you enjoy this one.

Overall rating: 7 (out of 10)

Indescribable Atlas Adventures

An Explorer's Guide to Geography, Animals, and Cultures Through God's Amazing World 

Brief overview: 

This world atlas invites kids to explore the beautiful world God created and learn about different cultures in creative ways.

Recommended age range: 6-12

Strengths: 

• Gorgeous illustrations make each page pop and appeal to readers.
• Includes kid-friendly facts and language tidbits.
• Weaves faith elements into each country's page.
• A fun way for kids to see the world through a Christian worldview.

Additional Notes:

• Lots and lots of striking world maps!
• A great addition to any home library to foster prayer and interest in the world.

Go Tell Everyone

9 Missionaries Who Shared the Good News 

Brief overview: 

A board book teaching little ones about the Great Commission and how nine missionaries shared the gospel around the globe.

Recommended age range: 0-4

Strengths: 

• Darling illustrations to engage little ones.
• Lays a foundation for why the missionaries went overseas and the different places and ways God used them.
• A playfulness in the storytelling to pull babies and toddlers into the narrative.
• Includes a variety of missionaries, including someone who served in the U.S. and missionaries from other countries.
• Highlights the uniqueness of each missionary and the special ways God used them where they served.

Additional Notes:

• B&H Kids provides a free digital parent connection handout to extend the message beyond the pages of this board book.

Bless the Earth

A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World

Brief overview: 

A book of poems and prayers about taking care of the earth for kids.

Recommended age range: 3-8

Strengths: 

• Beautiful illustrations to point to God's beauty in creation.
• A variety of styles to engage young ones with poetry.
• Many poets contributed to this collection, including Padma Venkatraman, the author of one of my favorite international kid lit books, The Bridge Home.

Additional Notes:

• I received an early copy of the book to provide an honest review.

Kailani's Gift

Brief overview: 

Watch as Kailani works hard to learn a new skill that's hard for her and celebrate when her commitment to never give up results in the best gift for her grandparents.

Recommended age range: 3-7

Strengths: 

• The author pulls young readers into Kailani's world as she learns a special Filipino dance to celebrate her grandparents' anniversary. 
• The illustrations are gorgeous and guide little ones to track with the tinikling dance. 
• A great book to engage preschoolers with another culture and show the value of perseverance.

Additional Notes:

• Includes a glossary of Tagalong words at the end of the book.

Overall rating: 9 (out of 10)

God's Big Picture Bible Storybook: 140 Connecting Bible Stories of God's Faithful Promises

Brief overview: 

New Testament scholar N.T. Wright walks kids through 140 Bible stories, including portions from the Psalms, Proverbs, Old Testament books like Isaiah and Daniel, and letters from Paul in the New Testament.

Recommended age range: 6-10

Strengths: 

• A good stepping stone for kids toward diving deeper into Scripture and gearing up to read and understand the Bible.
• Includes biblical references to show where each Bible story is pulled from. (And kids can opt to read those Scriptures alongside the written story.)
• Helps kids connect different parts of the Bible to other portions using a visual element and page number to another biblical text in the storybook.
• Brings clarity to biblical history and provides context for kids to track with the biblical narrative in deeper ways.
• Illustrations bring the Bible stories to life in fresh ways.

Additional Notes:

• No discussion or comprehension questions provided. 
• Includes maps at the back.
• I received a free copy of this storybook Bible so I could provide an honest review.