The Twila Stories

Title: The Twila Stories
Author: Johnny Ruhl
Major Themes: Bolivia, Missionaries, Christian Living
Synopsis: A young woman living in Bolivia learns lessons about living for Jesus and loving other people.

I realized recently that I read a lot of books to my older children, but the five-year-old rarely has a story just for him. I suggested to him that I should read a story just for him, and he excitedly said, “That would be a good idea!” So, I showed him a few of the books on the shelf that I thought he might be interested in, and he chose The Twila Stories. I had never read it, so it was a great chance to read something new myself.

There are nine stories in this book, with the same main character in all of them. Each story begins with the sentences, “Not so long ago but far, far away there was a godly young woman named Twila who loved the Lord. She lived in a country called Bolivia near the village of Santa Rosa del Sara.” By the time we got halfway through the book, the older boys were quoting it along with me! There is enough repetition in the stories to make them quite good for young children, as well as an engaging story line. For those of us who are older, these stories are quite challenging. Twila learns a lot of lessons about listening to God’s voice, doing good to enemies, honoring parents, and reaching out to people who need Jesus.

We did find the stories a little too perfect to be real, but they are an idealized portrait of a Christian and her responses to different situations. If you want to encourage a young Christian, or want a wholesome story to read to young children, The Twila Stories are a great choice.

No warnings!