Kingdom and the Crown Series

By Gerald Lund

An insightful book series about the life of Jesus Christ. This series really help me put the life of Christ into a historical context, so I could better understand the parables and significance of events. The story is great and engaging, as well as providing ample opportunity to expound on the political atmosphere in the Holy land at the time of Christ. This series has meticulous citations, so you can know the sources of the stories.

5 out of 5 stars

Language: not an issue

Violence: there are depictions of battles between the Romans and zealots, and lots of fighting. Including several deaths.

Morality: not an issue

Age: 12 and up

Because of Winn-Dixie

By Kate DiCamillo

This is a heartwarming tale of a girl whose mother left them, and her and her father are trying to make a new start in a new town. She finds a dog and adopts it, during that summer she meets people and learns to deal with her mother's absence.

5 out of 5 stars

Language: not an issue

Violence: not an issue

Morality: not an issue

Age: 8 and up

The Tiger Rising

By Kate DiCamillo

This is a story of a boy and a girl who move to the same town, for different reasons. Both of them have some things to deal with , the boys mother just died of cancer and the girls father just left her and her mother. It is a good story about how to deal with crisis.

5 out of 5 stars

Language: not an issue

Morality: The girls father ran out on the family with his secretary.

Violence: son is slapped on the back of the head by his father, he hits his father.

Age: 10 and up

Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

By Kate DiCamillo

This is a delightful story about a selfish, stuck up, china rabbit and how he learns to be kind and love others. He really does go on a miraculous journey. It is an engaging tale, although it is meant for very your readers. I enjoyed it, and Lily loved hearing me read it to her.

5 out of 5 stars

Language: not an issue

Violence: not much, one character dies of an illness

Morality: not an issue

Age: 3 and up

Tale of Despareux

By Kate Di Camilo

This is a great tale, mostly about forgivness. If a child is haveing a difficulty with forgivenss this is a good book. I tried to read it to Lily (3 years old), she enjoyed most of it but some of it was a little to much for her. I really enjoyed it. it is very craftily written, and is intended to be read out loud to children. Thus it is written in a very conversational tone.

5 out of 5 stars

Languge: Some talk of blood and killing, no swearing.

Violence: A mouse and a rat loose there tails, a queen dies (scared to death). The rats are scary characters who love to make others suffer.

Morality: A child is geven away into slavery by here father, later there is forgivness and all is made right , but in the middle of the book this could scare a small child.

Age: 3-5 years old and up depending on how much of the story you read. all of Despareux's story is appropriate for a 3 year old, the rest of the book not till 4 or 5 years old.

Work and the Glory

By Gerald Lund

I really enjoyed this series about LDS church history. Although it is fictional there are meticulous citations at the end of every chapter so you know where the stories come from. I found this very helpful, it also helped so I knew which stories were true and which were the fictionalized part. I think this series is a must for anyone wanting to know more about church histroy with out reading history books. While historically accurate I do find some of the ficitonal conversations by some of the real characters a little out of character, but that is the right of literary license.

5 out of 5 stars

Language: Not a worry

Violence: some scenes of brutal violence, althought they are actual which probably makes them worse.

Morality: Deals with polygamy, and some members infidelity, also some accusations of church members of church leaders of inpropiety.

Age: 12 and up, must be mature enough to deal with the issue of sectarian violence and polygamy.