Escape from Danger, by Gill Jacobs

I haven't done a book review in a while so I thought I'd share about a book I was given by my church this Easter. It's called 'Escape from Danger,' written by Gill Jacobs and is part of the Faith Finders series, published by DayOne Publications. Buy it here.

The book is set in Israel in the time of Jesus, following the story of Naomi, a pre-teen girl who runs away from home in Damascus because of her abusive step-father. She travels with her friends to Jerusalem for Passover, where she tries to survive by stealing food and sleeping in a barn. She gets very ill, almost to death, but thankfully her friends find her and look after her! But laced through her story is the story of Jesus: his death, resurrection, ascension. As the family stay in Jerusalem working for Saul, they see the followers of Jesus grow and spread the word in the temple and at Pentecost. But what will happen when the family have to travel back to Damascus? Can Naomi accept Jesus' teachings of forgiveness and apply them to her life and those who have hurt her?

The book is well written, though based more on action then description. For me the author has perfectly balanced the Bible story and forgiveness theme with the plot of Naomi's story, so it is a pleasure to read. I finished it in two days, I enjoyed it that much, and I'm now lending it to my friends. This would make a good gift for 10-14 year olds or anyone who enjoys reading!