School Book Saturday: Early Islamic trade & Women's sufferage

Trade and commerce in the early Islamic world
by Allison Lassieur. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2012. 48 pg. ( 978-0778721796)
Series: Life in the Early Islamic World
Dewey: J381
Reading level: 6.7, Guided Reading: W
Interest level: 5-8th

Publisher Description:
This important book shows how trade and commerce spread with the conquests made by the early Islamic empires. Key topics explored include: transportation by caravans, ships, and boats; monetary systems; famous explorers and traders; interactions with the East and West; economical principles; and coinage.

My Review:
Lots of great maps, examples of Islamic artwork and photos. In addition to the topics mentioned in the publisher's description the book also covers various trade goods including a variety of luxury items and slaves. At the end are ten very short biographies of famous Muslim traders and explorers, there are also two timelines, glossary (no pronunciation guide), additional resources and index.

I think this would be a good resource for middle schoolers studying Middle Eastern history and learning about trade and commerce centuries ago. This is a series I will consider for my school's library.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

Image from Good-
reads, no cover
available online

Women's Right to Vote
edited by Paul A. Kobasa and others. World Book, 2011. 64 pg. (9780716615088)
Series:World Book's Documenting History
Dewey: 324.6
Interest level: 6th-12th

Publisher Description:
A history of the women's suffrage movement throughout the world, based on primary source documents and other historical artifacts. Features include period art works and photographs; excerpts from literary works, letters, speeches, broadcasts, and diaries; summary boxes; a timeline; maps; and a list of additional resources.

My Review:
A very information rich book about women's efforts to obtain the right to vote around the world. I really liked that the book wasn't only about the suffrage movement in America but included other countries around the world - mainly those in the former British Empire.

I fully expected to find this individual book for sale through Follet or a book retailer. Unfortunately that is not the case. It's a good resource for any middle school report on women's suffrage with lots of pictures, excerpts from letters and books, and at the end a timeline, sources, additional resources, and index.

Find it at a library near you; The only place online that I could find that sells it is World Book as part of a series.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Adams, Shackleton & Obama (Who was/is....? series)

 Who was Abigail Adams?
by True Kelley, illustrated by John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2014. 112 pg. (9780448478906)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.4
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
Abigail Adams was a strong woman far ahead of her time. She urged her husband, President John Adams, to "remember the ladies" and despite having no formal education herself, she later advocated for equal education in public schools for both boys and girls. She was also the first First Lady to live in the White House! This biography tells the story of Abigail Adams and her role in America's Revolutionary War period.

My Review:
I enjoyed this brief biography of this truly remarkable woman. It is an excellent introduction to her life and what she did while her husband was away serving the fledgling US government. At one time they didn't see each other for five years!

The sentences were short; easy for young readers. The pen and ink illustrations show the clothing, housing, tools and modes of transportation of the day. There are a few maps and several boxed inserts focusing on specific events or people in her lifetime. The careers of her husband, John Adams (2nd US president) and son, John Quincy Adams (6th US president) are also told about as they relate to her.

At the end is a timeline of her life and the world, a brief bibliography including books for young readers and a list of websites (only one didn't work) for further research.

Great for 3rd to 5th graders looking for a biography of an amazing woman from the American Revolution and the early years of American government.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes &Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)


Who Was Ernest Shackleton? 
by James Buckley Jr., Illustrated by Max Hergenrother. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2013. 112 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J919.89
Reading level: 4.6
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
As a boy he preferred reading sea stories to doing homework and, at age 16, became an apprentice seaman. Subsequently, Ernest Shackleton’s incredible journeys to the South Pole in the early 1900s made him one of the most famous explorers of modern times. His courage in the face of dangerous conditions and unforeseeable tragedies reveal the great leader that he was. His historic 1914 journey aboard the Endurance has all the drama of an action movie.

My Review:
I quite enjoyed learning more about this explorer of the freezing cold. This book was more interesting to me than the Abigail Adams book since I knew (in the recesses of my mind) most of her story and Shackleton's story was for the most part a new bit of history to me.

The writing is simple and engaging. Kids will enjoy his adventures living in a boat and on ice for months on end. The illustrations are very well done and really enhance the text.

At the end of the book are two timelines, one of his life and one of world events. There is a bibliography that includes several websites. Nothing listed is specifically geared toward children but students 5th grade and up should find the websites interesting and informative.

4 stars

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($4.49); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

Who Is Barack Obama? 
by Roberta Edwards, Illustrations by Nancy Harrison and John O'Brien. Grosset & Dunlap (Imprint of Penguin Group), 2009. 112 pg. (9780448453309)
Series: Who was/is…?
Dewey: J973.932
Reading level: 4.9
Interest level: 3rd-6th gr

Publisher Description:
As the world now knows, Barack Obama has made history as [the] first African-American president [of the United States of America]. With black-and-white illustrations throughout, this biography is perfect for primary graders looking for a longer, fuller life story than is found in the author's bestselling beginning reader Barack Obama: United States President.

My Review:
All but the last three chapters are apolitical (for the most part). At that point the story reaches his speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, his run for US Senate and then of course his US presidential campaign. Since the book was published in 2009 there is no mention of his presidency, but that is for the best since it takes a while before the big picture can be seen and he's currently the president.

I enjoyed learning more about Obama's childhood and college years. The book doesn't go into very much detail, but it highlights the main events and tells about the many places he grew up. Kids would find this a great source for a biography book report or for a project on the president.

The Civil Rights Movement is mentioned but simplified and misrepresented to the point that it strongly implies no African-Americans had the right to vote until the 1960s. Which of course is false and misleading since African-Americans had been voting for almost 100 years, though they had quite a bit of difficulty in some southern States. Hence the Civil Rights Movement.

As with all the books in this series there is a timeline of the person's life and a timeline of world/US events. There are five books listed in the bibliography - two are for young readers and two are Obama's own books. No websites were listed.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($4.49); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($4.49); Buy it from ChristianBook ($2.29); Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you
(Paperback prices good as of July 12, 2014; double check for yourself before purchasing)

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Multi-cultural Rice and Electricity

Everybody Cooks Rice
by Norah Dooley ; illustrations by Peter J. Thornton. Carolrhoda Books, 1991. 30 pg. (9780876145913, 0876145918)
Dewey: Fiction
Reading level: 4.4, Guided Reading: M, Fountas & Pinnell: M
Interest level: K-3rd

Publisher Description:
On her way to find her little brother for dinner, Carrie samples each family's dinner in her neighborhood. By the time she tracks down her brother, Carrie has discovered a world of rice dishes in her own backyard.

My Review:
I like this book. Carrie's neighbors are from Barbados, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, India, China, and Haiti while Carrie's great-grandmother came from Italy. Each family makes their rice dish a bit different. The author's introduce all the different dishes while telling a story familiar to any big sister - finding her brother.

Some of the words might be hard for early elementary kids to read for themselves but not to understand. I think it would make a good read aloud at school or at home. But especially at home since the recipes for all the different dishes are included at the back.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes &Noble; Buy it from ChristianBook; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you



The Shocking World of Electricity with Max Axiom, Super Scientist 
by Liam O'Donnell ; illustrated by Richard Dominguez and Charles Barnett III. Capstone Press, 2007. 32 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Max Axiom
Dewey: J537
Reading level: 4.8, Guided Reading: V, Fountas & Pinnell: V
Interest level: 5th-8th

Publisher Description:
Follows the adventures of Max Axiom as he explains the science behind electricity including how it is produced and how electricity is distributed. Written in graphic-novel format.

My Review:
The Max Axiom series does a good job in introducing different science topics to late elementary and middle school students. The story is engaging and the opening scene of Max getting shocked by a doorknob after shuffling on the carpet is something most kids can relate too.

Electrons, protons, neutrons, renewable energy, batteries, the electrical grid and saving energy are all addressed in this action backed book. At the end is a 'More About…' section, glossary, book suggestions, and internet sites (but first you have to go through Facthound.com, which has a curated list of links that should be accurate, age appropriate, and current).

An aspect that I especially like since I work at an international school in Africa is that the main character is not Caucasian. My library has four books in this series and I've already ordered this and several others for next school year.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from ChristianBooks; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com or Independent Bookstores use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

School Book Saturday: Aztecs & Antarctica

As a school librarian I buy, skim and shelve a lot of non fiction for children and youth. One benefit to being in the States during the summer is that I can borrow stacks of books from the library to evaluate them for my school.

So I decided to start a (hopefully) regular feature focusing on elementary, middle school and high school non fiction. If anyone else is interested I could even figure out how to do a link up thingy (a very technical blogging term ;-)

I'd love feedback and opinions! How many books should I write about in each post? Should I group books by topic, by age range, by series, all or some of the previous?

You Wouldn't Want to Be an Aztec Sacrifice!: Gruesome Things You'd Rather Not Know (Revised Edition) 
by Fiona MacDonald, illustrated by David Antram. Franklin Watts (Imprint of Scholastic), 2013. 32 pg. (9780531271049)
Series: You wouldn't want to be...
Dewey: J972
Reading level: 5th grade and up
Interest level: 3rd-6th

Publisher Description:
You are a young man of noble family in the Central Valley of Mexico. Your city is about to be visited by your overlords, the Aztecs: fearsome warriors who practice human sacrifice. Will you be one of their victims? This new extended edition includes a map and a timeline of the Aztec civilization, and a selection of chilling facts.

My Review:
This is from a fun series that ought to appeal to kids. However, the students at my school are more drawn to the topic than the fun illustrations. We don't have this book but we do have the Pony Express one and Ninja Warrior. There is absolutely no interest for the pony express, but I've had lots of boys and a few girls ask where the book is about ninjas.

A few observations I jotted down after reading this book:
- There's no bibliography.
- It does have a timeline, index and glossary.
- How do they know some of that stuff?!
- Makes light of human life / murder / sacrifice. [And it's rather gruesome]

"Walking slowly up the temple steps, you are grabbed by five priests and flung on your back across a sacrificial stone. You see no more..." pg 24

"You die quickly and with little pain, but the sacrifice is not over yet. the priests cut your heart from your body and raise it high toward the sky to show it to the gods.  ... Next, they cut off your head and display it in a skull rack along with hundreds of others. ... Finally, your blood is poured down the temple steps, and your limbs are tossed to the crowds of worshipers below. The warrior who captured you collects the limbs and takes them home. He cooks and eats your sacrificed flesh." pg 26 

Several grades study the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs which is why I was considering this book. However, since this is a period in history I'm less familiar with and it's not one that we have a lot of easily understood written records of, I would have liked a bibliography to prove that the authors know what they're talking about.

Aside from the gruesome description of the human sacrifices, I don't like how the texts portrayed human sacrifice as a perfectly acceptable ritual. In a way it's actually good that it's gory because it shows how terrible human sacrifice and cannibalism is.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes &Noble


The Antarctic Habitat 
by Molly Aloian, Bobbie Kalman. Crabtree Publishing Company, 2007. 32 pg. (9780778729563)
Series: Introducing Habitats
Dewey: J577
Reading level: 3rd
Interest level: K-1st

Goodreads Summary:
This detailed description of the snow- and ice-covered continent of Antarctica features birds, seals, and whales of the Southern Ocean.

My Review:
I thought the reading level was more second grade. Most sentences have about 6-8 words. Unfortunately there is no pronunciation guide, especially for 'phytoplankton', 'photosynthesis', 'herbivore', 'carnivore', and 'omnivore'. But all other words and terms should be somewhat familiar to kids.

Some words are in bold but there is no glossary at the end with definitions, just an index of where those words are found in the book. The words are defined in the text.

"Millions of tiny plants grow in the Southern Ocean. They float near the top of the water. These ocean plants are called phytoplankton."

The photos and illustrations are all nice and enhance the text. But I wish some scale had been provided as it's impossible to tell just how huge the blue whale really is (a full length photo is included) nor how wide the wing span of the albatross is.

I like that this book doesn't combine the arctic and antarctic regions, the amount of material covered and the illustrations. I'll take a look at the other books in the series and will keep this in mind if/when we need some habitat books for the younger grades.

Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from an Indie Bookstore near you

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM Publishing, 2000. 222p. (9781576581643) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

This has been sitting on my nightstand for a while and this morning I picked it up and read it over breakfast. Then I read it during lunch and kept reading until I finished it. What an interesting story! I know it only scratched the surface of Cameron Townsend’s life.

Written for youth this book chronicles the life of Cameron Townsend as he struggles to figure out what to do with his life as a teenager, to becoming a missionary in Guatemala, to translating the New Testament into Cakchiquel, to founding Camp Wycliffe that later became the Summer Institute for Linguistics and Wycliffe Bible Translators, to founding JAARS and all the work that went into establishing those organizations.

His was a very full, very busy life with sorrow and tragedy but also triumph and success. I never knew how Wycliffe Bible Translators got founded and now I want to learn more about Uncle Cam as he became known, his family, and the many amazing stories translators have to tell.

If you are interested in the history of missions, Wycliffe Bible Translators, or Mexico and Guatemala then this is a book worth reading.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon ($6.99 ebook); Buy it from ChristianBooks.com ($6.69 pb); Buy it from Barnes & Noble ($8.09 pb) 

(Prices good as of May 18, 2014 always double check for yourself)

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Weird but true! 2 by National Geographic Kids

Weird but True! 2: 300 Outrageous Facts by National Geographic Kids. 208 pg. National Geographic Society, 2010. (9781426306884) Series: Weird but True!

The fifth graders at the school I work at absolutely love these books. We have number 2, 3, 4, 5 and brainless baddies and there's only been perhaps a week when one of them didn't have a kid waiting for it and it was on the shelf. Needless to say the books are wildly popular.

Each book has 208 pages of strange but true facts. Photos, colorful illustrations or unique fonts make each factoid quite eye catching. And there is an index to help you find that crazy fact that you remember reading but can't find again.

The drawback is that there's no citations and sometimes the facts are a bit hard to believe. For example, "The total earthworm population in the United States weighs ten times more than the total human population." (pg. 98) "Astronomers have discovered a star that is made of a 10-billion-trillion-trillion-carat diamond." (pg. 134)

Some facts make you really curious how they even know that: "Newborn babies are color-blind" (pg. 36) or "A snowflake can take up to two hours to fall from a cloud to the ground." (pg. 104)

National Geographic holds the belief that the earth is millions of years old and that comes through on some of their facts, "The oldest bat fossil ever found was 50 million years old." (pg. 153) or "Turtles lived on earth before dinosaurs did." (pg. 73)

If you're looking for a book or series that will keep elementary and even middle school kids entertained for quite a while, then get a hold of these books. I highly recommend this series for any school library and kids who love facts.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes & Noble; Buy it from ChristianBook.com (first book in series)

Disclosure: I borrowed the book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

The Hidden White House by Robert Klara

The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America's Most Famous Residence by Robert Klara. Thomas Dunne Books, 2013. 384p. (9781250000279)

This book caught my eye on NetGalley and I’m so glad I was given a chance to review it. What a fascinating account about a little known aspect of history. I was shocked at the White House’s state of disrepair and what had been done to the load bearing walls and supports! I knew that the White House had undergone some major renovations but I never knew the extent until I read this very well researched and fascinating account.  

Goodreads Summary:

Critically acclaimed author Robert Klara leads readers through an unmatched tale of political ambition and technical skill: the Truman administration’s controversial rebuilding of the White House.

In 1948, President Harry Truman, enjoying a bath on the White House’s second floor, almost plunged through the ceiling of the Blue Room into a tea party for the Daughters of the American Revolution. A handpicked team of the country’s top architects conducted a secret inspection of the troubled mansion and, after discovering it was in imminent danger of collapse, insisted that the First Family be evicted immediately. What followed would be the most historically significant and politically complex home-improvement job in American history. While the Trumans camped across the street at Blair House, Congress debated whether to bulldoze the White House completely, and the Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb, starting the Cold War.

Workmen digging the sub-basement in the demolished White House in 1950
(White House - Abbie Rowe)

Indefatigable researcher Robert Klara reveals what has, until now, been little understood about this episode: America’s most famous historic home was basically demolished, giving birth to today’s White House. Leaving only the mansion’s facade untouched, workmen gutted everything within, replacing it with a steel frame and a complex labyrinth deep below ground that soon came to include a top-secret nuclear fallout shelter,

The story of Truman’s rebuilding of the White House is a snapshot of postwar America and its first Cold War leader, undertaking a job that changed the centerpiece of the country’s national heritage. The job was by no means perfect, but it was remarkable—and, until now, all but forgotten.

My Review:

As stated above Robert Klara has done an excellent job researching and writing an engaging account of a house renovation. It also gives a great picture of the dysfunction of political committees. And it makes me appreciate Harry Truman quite a bit more. Imagine being president and having to live in a cramped little house.

The review copy I received was an ebook version and 25% of the book is taken up by the acknowledgment and endnotes. Very good proof that this book is thoroughly researched with ample citations. The many quotes served to make this a very engaging book on what could have easily been a dry topic.

At the beginning of each chapter is a photograph that relates to the chapter. I’ve included two pictures from whitehousemuseum.org that give you an idea of what a massive undertaking the reconstruction this was.

Workmen digging the basement under the North Portico in 1950
(White House - Abbie Rowe)

I learned a lot about the White House, Harry Truman, and life in Washington during the end of World War II and the start of the Cold War. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in history and particularly those topics.

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from Barnes and Noble

Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Betty Greene: Wings to Serve by Janet & Geoff Benge

 Betty Greene: Wings to Serve by Janet & Geoff Benge. YWAM, 1999. 195p. (9781576581520) Series: Christian Heroes: Then & Now

I really enjoy this series. In addition to writing biographies of the “famous” missionaries the Benges have also written about men and women whose work impacted hundreds if not thousands and yet are not as widely known. I don’t think I’d heard of Betty Greene before seeing the title of this book. And what a story.

Back cover:

As a young girl growing up on the shores of Lake Washington, Betty Greene had two passions: a love for Christ and a love of flying. As a young World War II WASP pilot, Betty dreamed of combining her two passions by using wings to serve God.

Betty’s dream became reality when she helped found the Mission Aviation Fellowship. Her faith-filled adventures and faithful service helped created what is today a global ministry that operates over eighty aircraft in nineteen countries.

My review:

Betty Greene (1920-1997) led a fascinating life. She served on the homefront during World War II was a WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), she was a founding member of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), was the first woman to fly over the Andes, and worked in Mexico, Peru, Nigeria, Sudan and Irian Jaya.

London, England and Malakal, South Sudan

This was a great book to get a glimpse of what being a WASP was like and what life was like in the 40s and 50s especially. Reading this book reminded me just how big the world and especially Africa is. In the late 1950s it took 39 hours (and several days) to fly from Malakal, Sudan (now South Sudan) to London, England! Today it takes less than 10.5 hours to fly from Juba (which is about 325 miles to the south of Malakal) to London.

It was also very interesting hearing about the people she met along the way. Nate Saint was a MAF pilot and Cameron Townsend plays an important role in the early days of MAF (I’m looking forward to reading his biography in a few days).

A few things could have been done better. I wish there had been more dates to help the reader keep track of when events took place. We’re told how long she was in each place thus leaving it up to the reader to keep track – which is difficult. Also the focus was mainly on Betty’s flying and work in the MAF office. Rarely are we told about her other passion: love for Christ.

Great book for fourth grade on up, for anyone interested in aviation history, for anyone wanting to be inspired by a life well lived. Includes a bibliography (the unpublished manuscript mentioned was published in 2002).

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon; Buy it from ChristianBook.com;(cheaper here as of Feb 11, 2013)

Disclosure: I borrowed this from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Top Ten Tuesday: Books set in Africa

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week's topic is actually Best Bookish Memories but I knew I wouldn't be able to come close to ten so I decided to list ten books set in Africa. I've read most of them or else they are on my to read list. Two weeks ago was Top Ten Settings I'd Like to See More Of and a fair number of people included Africa or some country in Africa.
All images taken from goodreads; links lead either to Goodreads or to Amazon (twice).

Top Ten Books Set in Africa

1. At Her Majesty’s Request: an African princess in Victorian England
by Walter Dean Myers

I actually stumbled across this in the library today and it looked very interesting. This young girl was rescued from certain death, taken to England and presented to Queen Victoria, and then return to West Africa for a time before going back to England. A very dramatic story.

2. Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me 
by Randall Bennett

True story about a family I know that went through the Rwandan Genocide.

3. Faith Like Potatoes: the story of a farmer who risked everything for God
by Angus Buchan with Jan Greenough and Val Waldeck

Great book and great movie set mainly in South Africa but they also travel to other countries. Here's my review of the book from last summer.

4. The Golden Goblet
by Eloise Jarvis McGraw

My mom read this aloud to us in middle school, great story set in ancient Egypt. It is a Newbery Honor book.

5. The Cat of Bubastes
by G.A. Henty

I actually don't remember reading this (I have) but Henty writes amazing historical adventure stories for teens. He was a very prolific writer and if they had had best seller lists back then he would have been at the top of the charts many times. (Free Kindle ebook)

6. Lillian Trasher: The Greatest Wonder In Egypt
by Geoff & Janet Benge

I have read a good number of missionary biographies but this was the first time I'd ever heard of Lillian Trasher. And what a story! She left her fiance to go to Egypt, opened an orphanage and had the same "last minute" answers to prayers like George Mueller, survived WWI in Egypt and during her life cared for thousands of orphans.

7. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
by William Kamkwamba

This one is on my to read list and it's set in Malawi.

8. Going Solo
by Roald Dahl

Read this in middle or high school and I still remember that I enjoyed it. Dahl mentions being in Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Libya and maybe more, but those are the countries I spotted in a quick flip through.

9. Samuel Morris: The Apostle of Simple Faith
by W. Terry Whalin

I remember reading this in grade school or middle school and being astounded by his faith and perseverance. I know this story doesn't completely take place in Africa but it certainly starts there.

10. Escape from the Slave Traders
by Dave & Neta Jackson

I read probably close to twenty of the Trailblazer books growing up. The Jacksons create a fictional character that meets the missionary and the reader learns about him or her through the fictional character's eyes. This one is about David Livingstone.

What books set in Africa have you read?

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.

Amazon freebie: Faith through Fire

Last week's Top Ten Tuesday was settings you'd like to see more of and Africa came up frequently. Here is a true story about an American and his family in Rwanda before, during and after the 1994 Genocide. I have met the Bennett family and am looking forward to reading this book.

Faith Through Fire: Rwanda and Me

by Randall Bennett

Free on Amazon January 31, 2013

Book Description on Amazon:

Faith Through Fire is the inspirational story of people living out the faith that Christians profess, under some of the most difficult conditions imaginable.

It is the true story of the main protaganist's experiences living out his faith before, during, and after the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda. It is a compelling story that is beautifully told.

If you are looking for inspiration or a way to challenge your faith then this story is a must read!

The story is also about his Rwanda team during one of the most intensive killing campaigns in the history of the world! These are real people who, because of their love and understanding of who God is, acted decisively and heroically, with actions that saved lives. After the Genocide they went back. At great price they went back. Even after the death of his beloved wife, my brother still went back...

The world is in need of real stories of seemingly insignificant people from what seem like insignificant places who do extraordinary things by the power of faith in an extraordinary God. If you're not a person of faith, the story alone will grab you. If you are, you will be encouraged to stand strong even when things do not go the way you thought they should.

Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Bomb: The Race to Build – and Steal – the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. Roaring Brook Press, 2012. 266p. (9781596434875)

This was a fascinating book. I’ve read a fair amount about World War II but this is the first book I’ve read about the work that went into developing, building and testing the atomic bomb. This is also the first time I’ve read a complete account of how worried the Allied forces were that the Germans would develop the bomb first and how successful the Russians were at getting info from the Americans.

Which is what this book is all about. Steve Sheinkin does a great job weaving the stories of how scientists discover the possibilities of splitting atoms, how the Americans starting to build the bomb, how the British sabotaging the German efforts and how the Russians went about infiltrating the Manhattan Project.

You can always tell the quality of a nonfiction book by how many sources the author(s) consulted and the fullness of the index. And this book passes the test with flying colors. There are many quotes and at the end, in addition to the extensive list of sources, is a list of all the quotes and where they came from. At the beginning of each part is a two page spread of photos showing the people involved.

A massive amount of organization, recruitment and construction was needed to even begin the research and development of the atomic bomb. While this book focuses on the scientists figuring out how to control the fission (atom splitting) and the espionage, the reader gets a sense of much work was involved, of the stress felt by the Allies that the Germans would beat them to the bomb, of the rejoicing and then silence of the scientists after the successful test.

Bomb is a great book for any middle or high school student and for any adult interested in World War II.      

Go read it! Find it at a library near you; Buy it from Amazon

Disclosure: I borrowed this book from the library. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Eagerly Awaited 2013 Releases

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

There are lots of neat books coming out this year (have to get used to calling 2013 this year). But I only wanted to list those that I really, really can't wait for (well, in some cases it's only one 'really'). This is almost exactly like November 27th list though this prompt includes the word 'debut'. Not entirely sure what that means specifically in this context, so I just stuck with the books I'm most looking forward to.

Top Ten 2013 Debuts I'm Looking Forward To

1. Dragonwitch by Anne Elisabeth Stengl

Sequel to Heartless, Veiled Rose, Moonblood, and Starflower

2. Love in the Balance by Regina Jennings

Sequel to Sixty Acres and a Bride

3. Though My Heart is Torn by Joanne Bischof

Sequel to Be Still My Soul

4. Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson

This already came out at the beginning of the month but I’m still looking forward to reading it.
Her other books are The Healer's Apprentice and The Merchant's Daughter


5. Tutor’s Daughter by Julie Klassen

Again, this is also out already, but it’s a 2013 book I want to read.


6. Fortress of Mist by Sigmund Brouwer

This is the sequel to The Orphan King.


7. Get Lost: Your Guide to Finding True Love by Dannah Gresh

Dannah writes great (non fiction) books for teenage girls and moms!

What books can you hardly wait for?

Remember - Anytime you visit Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com or ChristianBooks.com use an affiliate link to get there. Any purchase you make from a link on my site generates a small kickback. You need not purchase the item I'm featuring, any purchase counts. It costs you nothing extra and is an easy way to support this site.