IgniteLit

History Lives series

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History Lives series by Mindy and Brandon Withrow

Title: History Lives series
Author: Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Major Themes: Church History
Synopsis: A set of five books covering the entire history of the Christian church, from the Apostle Paul to Janani Luwum in Uganda in 1977.

I have just finished reading this series to my children as a supplement to our history program. They have really enjoyed listening to the well-written, action-packed stories of famous or obscure Christians from the past 2,000 years. By the time we finished, after reading the series for five months, some of the boys were ready to move on to something else, but most were still enjoying it. I would highly recommend this series for anyone who wants to know more about Christian history. It is not a stand-alone course in history, but a great supplement.

Links to the individual book reviews:

WARNING: A number of the stories describe the suffering and death of people who were martyred for their faith. Parents will want to preread many of the stories if younger children will be reading or listening to these books.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 10 – 12, 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback (box set)

Rescue and Redeem

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Rescue and Redeem, Volume 5: Chronicles of the Modern Church by Mindy and Brandon Withrow

Title: Rescue and Redeem
Author: Mindy and Brandon Withrow
Series: History Lives series, Volume 5: Chronicles of the Modern Church
Major Themes: Church History, World War II, Europe, Africa, Asia
Synopsis: Well-written stories of pivotal moments in the lives of over a dozen influential Christians who worked to change the world for Jesus between 1860 and 1977.

Rescue and Redeem is the final book in the fascinating History Lives series. Once again, it contains very interesting, action-packed stories of many modern Christians who have changed the world in some way for Christ. Some are well-known; some obscure enough that I had never heard of them before. One especially interesting story described the life of the last member of the royal family of Hawaii. I never knew what went on behind the scenes when the United States took over the country of Hawaii! Very interesting. Another intriguing story was about a young Japanese man who learned about the gospel from a Russian Orthodox priest in Japan, and a Chinese Bible. We also learn in this book how the gospel reached the hermit kingdom of Korea in a surprising way, about the fate of widows in India, and how the gospel was brought to a village in Mexico by Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Once again, as with the other four books in this series, I highly recommend Rescue and Redeem as a supplement to a study of church history, or the history of this time period.

WARNING: Three of the stories, those of Robert Thomas, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and Janani Luwum, mention people being martyred for their faith. These stories are told plainly, but the details are not dwelt on, although Janani’s story is a bit on the bloody side. Parents may wish to preread these chapters. Also, I personally do not agree with Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s philosphy that there can be a time when it is right to kill one man to save others.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Always Face a Panther

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Always Face a Panther, compiled by Ruth K. Hobbs

Title: Always Face a Panther
Author: compiled by Ruth K. Hobbs
Major Themes: Short Stories, Pioneer Life, Christian Life
Synopsis: This is a collection of interesting stories about children of the past in America, and each story teaches a lesson in a natural way.

I have learned that my children work more diligently and much more cheerfully if I read aloud to them or let them listen to a story while they work. One day last week, we needed a big job done in the kitchen, and most of the family was away. There were only two boys left at home to put up over a bushel of plums for winter, and I was not able to help, as I needed to sit still and was not able to do anything. We got out Always Face a Panther, and I read half of it to the boys while they did the work—they loved it! We finished it through the rest of the week, as they did other jobs for me.

This book consists of 18 short stories about children in earlier days in America. Each one learned a lesson, through the events in the story, about life or God. Some learned to listen to their parent’s wisdom, or to be kind to others; other stories illustrate how children learned to trust God more and how He cares for all of us and is concerned about the problems we face. All the stories are very well-written.

Always Face a Panther is a great family read-aloud—if you want a stand-alone story, you can one read in 10-20 minutes. They would be very good bedtime stories.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, 10 – 12, Family Read Alouds
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
CAM Books: Hardcover

Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language

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

Title: Cameron Townsend: Good News in Every Language
Author: Janet & Geoff Benge
Series: Christian Heroes: Then and Now series
Major Themes: Cameron Townsend, Wycliffe Bible Translators, Missionaries, Guatemala, Mexico, Language, Linguistics
Synopsis: After seeing the need for Bibles in indigenous languages, Cameron Townsend founded Wycliffe Bible Translators to translate Bibles into unwritten languages.

What a satisfying read! I just read Cameron Townsend to my children, and as always when we read one from this series, they wanted me to keep going till we finished. I’m always astounded at how they get into these books.

Cameron Townsend was born into a poor farming family in California. During World War I, God called him to go to Guatemala to sell Bibles, and miraculously he was able to get an honorable discharge from the army to fulfill this call. He soon discovered, however, that the country people in Guatemala could not read—or often even speak—Spanish. One man even told him his god must not be very great if He couldn’t speak the man’s Indian language!

Cam set to work to learn and write down the Indian language, and was able, within 10 years, to translate the New Testament into it. He went on from there to found Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Summer Institute of Linguistics, which has completed the New Testament in 500 formerly unwritten languages as at the date the book was published (2000).

We found Cameron Townsend very encouraging, as Cameron lived out his beliefs that God would supply all he needed, and that nothing was impossible with God.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, 10 – 12, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Audible Audiobook (unabridged) | Audio CD
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

This Child Must Die

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This Child Must Die by Anne Ruck

Title: This Child Must Die
Author: Anne Ruck
Major Themes: Indonesia, Sumatra, Cleopas Lumbantobing, Missionaries, Biography
Synopsis: The spirits said to kill the baby when he was born; when he became a man, Cleopas overturned the spirit’s power.

I haven’t read very many books that are biographies of native missionaries—most of the missionary biographies I’ve read have been about the Westerners who went to other countries to work. This Child Must Die is different.

Set in Sumatra in the early 1800s, the story opens with a father consulting the local witchdoctor to learn the destiny of his newborn son; he hopes for a child who will bring him fame and fortune. Instead, he is told that the baby must die, because he will turn their world upside down! The father goes home very sadly, and after pondering his options he sends the wife whose son this is home to her family with her children.

A number of years later, a German missionary arrives in this wild country, where his predecessors were killed. Within a few years, a number of people in the area have become Christians! Among them are the father who was told to kill his son, and the son himself, though they live in different villages and have no contact with each other. Through God’s love, the family is reunited, and the son becomes an evangelist and a peace keeper among the tribes.

This Child Must Die is an incredible story of the difference Jesus can make among spirit-worshipping tribespeople. I appreciated the role played by the native missionary; he was much more effective among his people than the foreign missionaries could possibly be. He understood his people and their customs and needs, although he needed and appreciated the help and advice he received from his German mentor.

This book is out of print at the time of this writing, but you can still buy used copies.

WARNING: Being a book about people coming out of tribal religions, there are a few scenes mentioned, among the unconverted villages, which are not suitable for children.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 10 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 12 – 15, 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com