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!

Yarn Along

The start of autumn weather brings the start of knitting season in our household (or pom-pom making season for younger members of the family!) I've started with something easy, a small dolls dress in stocking stitch. I'm at beginner level at the moment, so the rib at the bottom of my knitting was so embarrassing it's not in the photo! The knit that is starting to come through is the contrasting bodice. Those red needles.. yes, they are actually great to knit small things with as they are so short and a good size for dk wool. 

'To Kill A Queen' is from the My Story series, and I've almost finished it. It is the diary of Kitty, whose mother and father live near the court of Queen Elizabeth I. There are many plots to kill the Queen and Kitty's father works to keep her safe. It makes good light fiction reading for girls.

I am linking up with Yarn Along on Small Things.

Voyage on the Great Titanic

I've always loved the 'My Story' series. The books are written as the imagined diaries of girls and boys at different times in history. 'Voyage on the Great Titanic' is the diary of the Margaret Anne Brady, written by Ellen Emerson White. I have read it twice on my own, and once aloud to my sister. The fictional Margret 'writes' well, describing the Titanic, the people and the events of the journey in a pleasant and witty way. It is wonderful read that really involves you in the story, not sparing any detail or description so that you get a real feel of what is going on.
It is 1912 and Margret is a London orphan who lives in a convent. She gets a job assisting a rich American woman as she travels from London to New York on the greatest ship ever built, the Titanic.
When the journey ends in the famous disaster, Margret has to leave a friend behind. What will happen to Robert? The story has a slight romantic twist and lots of excitement. Margaret is one of the small amount to survive that fateful night, when more than 1,500 people died. As the Historical Note says:

'The night the Titanic sank was one of darkness and courage, nobility and despair. For the most part, the very best of humanity was on display- with the very worst of results. It was a night that will never be forgotten.' 

The back includes a helpful timeline and interesting facts on the Titanic. You can buy it here on amazon.

Mustang, Wild Sprit of the West by Marguerite Henry

This book is one that has captivated me since when I read the first chapter a couple of years ago. I have read it probably three time more since then, twice after having received it for my birthday (upon request.) It is my personal favourite out of all the Marguerite Henry books I've read, next in line being 'King of the Wind.' I was surprised to see that these are quite rare books!

One of the reasons I have been gripped by this book is that, especially when I was going through a 'horse-mad' phase, it was about mustangs, which I hadn't heard much about. It is written from the point of Annie, who later in the story is named 'Wild Horse Annie,' who has always had a special bond with mustangs. She tells her life story, living on a ranch on Nevada and growing up with horses. Some parts shine with happiness and some parts are so sad, I cried when I first read them.
When Annie grows up and marries Charlie, who helped on the ranch, they buy the ranch and work hard to keep it. But one day Annie finds out about the round-up and slaughter of wild mustangs to be made into canned dog food. Along with others, Annie starts to fight against these cruel practices, eventually making her way to Washington to protect all mustangs and keep them roaming free.

There are also lovely illustrations which are done in ink, I think. The book has over 200 pages.

This book can be brought from amazon sellers or from Alibris.

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Gouge

One of the things I thought would be nice to do on my blog is book reviews. There are many books I've read, many I've enjoyed, and some that I have loved, devoured, and then read again. One of these is the fantasy adventure novel 'The Little White Horse.' I have read it twice so far and really enjoyed the story. The adventure is fast-paced and new clues and events keep you reading until the end where all is revealed and set right.

The main character, Maria Merryweather, grows on you as the story goes on. At first she is introduced as a little vain, but soon her courage and determination come through, when she and her nurse leave London to live on the estate of Sir Benjamin, Maria's cousin. She discovers her heritage and the story of her ancestors the Merryweather's. 

The villains of the story, the Men from the Dark Woods lead by the evil Coq de Noir, are also put back in their rightful places by Maria and her faithful companions: Wrolf, who is thought to be a big black dog, Serena the hare, Zacharia the cat and Robin, a boy she used to know. 

I would recommend this book for age 9-14 as an exiting read, though it is fairly long. You can buy it on  amazon here.