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Recent Book Reviews

Gunner’s Run

by Rick Barry

 

Review by Jill Williamson

 

An exciting trek through Nazi Germany.

 

In Gunner’s Run by Rick Barry, Jim Yoder, a World War II B-26 gunner, falls from his plane and parachutes into Nazi Germany. He is quickly caught and thrown into prison. Having turned his back on God years ago, he makes his peace, knowing he may never get back home. But once he and God are communicating, Jim’s prayers are answered. He manages to escape the prison, don a German soldier’s uniform, and start the long trek towards France.

 

He sleeps the days away and travels at night, steering clear of the roads, eating raw potatoes and anything he can find. He meets friends and enemies on his journey, assumes several identities to get past Nazi forces, and dreams of the day he can get back to Indiana and see Margo, the girl he hopes to make a future with.

I enjoyed Jim’s suspenseful journey to stay out of the Gestapo’s clutches and how he depended on God to get him through. Having a grandfather who fought in WWII, it was fascinating to see stories of people trusting God and working together to help each other out of enemy territory. Gunner’s Run put me smack in the middle of a side of WWII I never studied. Recommended.

Age Range: 12 and up

Genre: Historical fiction

Part of a Series: No

Pages: 212

Publisher: Journey Forth (A Division of BJU Press)

Released: 2007

Saving Sailor

by Renée Riva

 

Review by Jill Williamson

 

Saving Sailor by Renée Riva takes the reader to Indian Lake, Idaho 1968 where A.J. Degulio and her family spend every summer. A.J. loves hanging out in the canoe with Sailor, her dog, and drifting. She torments her family by speaking in a Southern accent, even though she’s Italian.

 

Another family is spending the summer at the lake and A.J. meets her soul mate, Danny Morgan, who shares her love of star-gazing and God. But Danny’s family is falling apart. His father’s had an affair and Danny just knows his mom will forgive him again. A tragedy causes everyone to look at how precious life is and consider that God can change even the hardest hearts when forgiveness is offered.

 

Saving Sailor is a wonderful story about a girl just loving life. A.J. is funny and smart and I enjoyed her hysterical moments in catechism classes and her mother’s impersonating Sophia Lauren and giving autographs to the public. What a funny, sweet, and heartwarming story.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Age Range: 8 and up

Genre: Coming of age

Part of a Series: No.

Pages: 220

Publisher: RiverOak (Cook Communications)

Released: 2007

November’s

Book of the Month

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William Henry is a Fine Name
by Cathy Gohlke

Click on image to purchase from Amazon

Click on image to purchase from Amazon

Island Girl by Sandra Byrd

 

Review by Jill Williamson

 

Island Girl by Sandra Byrd is a sweet story about a girl’s search for herself. Meg spends every summer on her grandparents berry farm. This year many things have changed. Her mother is remarried with a new baby on the way and a new family lives on the farm. Tia’s father has been hired to run the farm since Grandpa is getting too old and Meg’s dad isn’t around to help. Meg worried that Tia has replaced her.

 

Meg finds a plaque that belonged to her father as a boy and memorizes the verse inscribed on it: Galatians 5: 22-23a. For the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Meg vows to make choices in her life that bears good fruit. She befriends Tia and the two start a summer business together selling berries and smoothies. Many problems come their way, but Meg continually reminds herself of the fruit of the spirit, determined to make choices that bear sweet, plentiful fruit.

 

I enjoyed this story of a girl trying to enjoy her summer vacation, working hard at a summer job, but fearing the future. A big choice lay ahead as to where Meg will live? Will she go back to her mom and the new baby? Or will she stay with her dad and help on the berry farm? Besides this tough decision, Meg faces everyday decisions about whether or not to take a comment too hard, whether or not to be jealous of Tia, whether or not to work with Tia or run on the cross country team with cute Charlie Richards. Meg faces each dilemma in a believable manner and doesn’t always do the right thing. I loved her for it. Her honesty was a delight to read. I highly recommend this book to girls looking for a fun, sweet story.

 

Age Range: 9 and up

Genre: Contemporary

Part of a Series: Book one in the Friends for a Season series

Pages: 234

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Released: 2005

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