Title: Gladys Aylward: No Mountain Too High
Series: Trail Blazers
Author: Myrna Grant
Major Themes: Gladys Aylward, Missionaries, China, World War II, Orphans
Synopsis: Gladys Aylward, an English maid, bought a ticket and went to China to teach people about Jesus.
I’ve read a number of books about this famous missionary, but this was a series I had never seen before. I was quite favorably impressed by Gladys Aylward: No Mountain Too High. The story of Gladys Aylward is told in a fresh, fascinating way. She had quite an adventurous life! I especially enjoyed the introduction. A girl is telling her mother that she doesn’t like to read stories about dead missionaries; she’d rather read about girls who have adventures and dangerous experiences. Her mother responds that this book wouldn’t do at all!
“It’s about an English girl who had many problems and longed to travel to the other side of the world, and lived a life filled with excitement and danger and who had one adventure after another . . . but it is about a dead missionary after all.”
Gladys wanted to go to China as a missionary so badly that even though the missionary society turned her down on the grounds that she was too old to learn the language, she saved her pennies until she had enough money to buy a ticket overland across Russia to China. Even though there was a war going on between Russia and China, she eventually made it safely to her destination, where she worked for an old missionary in Yangcheng and helped her run an inn. When Mrs. Lawson died, Gladys took over running the inn with the help of a Chinese man, and then became foot inspector for the local Mandarin. Soon, war broke out with the Japanese, and Gladys had to lead 100 children to safety across the mountains.
One of the few missionaries whose life has been made into a movie, Gladys Aylward is certainly worth getting to know! I highly recommend this version of her story. After the main story, there are two pages of “Thinking Further Topics” for each chapter, to help you apply spiritual truths to your own life (and your children’s lives).
No warnings!
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged)
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
Truly is an inspirational woman. Amazing when you think of how the missionary society kept turning her away. I have a different copy but was particularly struck with her determination when the book described her journey to China via train!