Sara Masarik
Tag: Book ReviewMoody Publishers
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Why I Chose It
I have long followed The Redeemed Reader through their excellent book review blog. Their thoughtful, wide-ranging coverage of books (especially modern titles) has always impressed me. While Diane and I have been casually reviewing for over a decade, this team covers substantially more ground than we ever could, and their insights into contemporary books are especially valuable for Christian families and librarians who want guidance outside of the standard book lists of older living books.
What I Appreciated
I sincerely appreciated the book’s cool, confident, intelligent and intentional approach. The authors leverage their extensive experience in publishing, editing, and authoring to help readers (mostly moms) understand the landscape of books today. For example, in their explanations of genres they gave us not just descriptions, but histories and evolutions. In each section, they offered thoughtful comparisons of familiar titles so we could see why one book would be a good fit for Christian readers while the other might give us pause.
The section on “Messy Books” was particularly compelling. Here, the authors offer explanations and actionable discussion steps that empower families to tackle complex or challenging stories in a way that allows the young reader to grow well. This section immediately revealed the book’s value for my library.
How We’re Using It
So far, I have purchased 20 copies for our library to use as the mother’s book club selection next semester. I am confident that I will be ordering more. Many moms are coming in to purchase their book club copy from me and are grabbing a second copy to give to someone else in their life. Next semester, over the three or four months we’ll read it together slowly. I think this book will help cultivate a common language in our library for talking about books, discernment, and how children need to stretch and grow as readers.
Why It Matters
The Redeemed Reader is empowering. It gives families enough information to support their own natural discernment while approaching reading decisions in the light of Christ. This book is a must-have for private lending librarians and school librarians navigating modern titles, but it is most ideal for families who wish to make informed, faith-centered reading choices for their children.