Biblical Fiction for Young Readers

Homeschool Review Crew

Here’s our story.  We received a new review package in the mail.  I pulled out two books.  And then, my hands were mysteriously empty.  That is the story of how quickly books disappear in our house.  It also is the story of how good these books are because they still haven’t surfaced as they make their rounds through our house of readers.  I’m always pleased when I can find Biblical fiction for young readers to introduce to their hungry minds.

 

What books you ask?  The first two books in The Secret of The Hidden Scrolls series from WorthyKids/Ideals.  We received titles one and two which are The Secret of The Hidden Scrolls: The Beginning (Book #1) and The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls: Race to the Ark (Book #2).

About the Series

This new series is geared towards kids ages 6-9 which includes four of the kids in my house.  Now, that is the recommended age but my twelve year olds and my ten year olds read and enjoyed these books as well.  They also make wonderful read alouds for your homeschool as well. Biblical fiction for young readers is hard to come by and I was very excited to be asked to be on this review.  In fact, now I’m not so sure we should have because my kids want the other books today!  Or actually they wanted them as soon as they finished book two which was the same day as our package arrived with my oldest.

WorthyKids/Ideals might be a familiar company to you if you enjoy the children’s favorites of VeggieTales and Berenstain Bears.  We love both of these series and have several of their books on our shelves.  This new series follows the same vein wanting to expand on your child’s faith and knowledge of the Bible.  While doing this levels of mystery and intrigue are weaved throughout to make your child want to read on and learn more.  Books like this are hard to find in the library so I love to add them to our shelves.  We call them Biblical fiction for young readers.  Christian fiction is another popular genre but it’s more for older teens and adults in my opinion.

The Author

M. J. Thomas is the author who penned this new series.  Though I’m not sure that he wrote them with pen and paper first or if he just typed them.  But I’m a fan of pen and paper and like to think that’s how it was written. When Thomas was looking for good Biblical fiction for young readers to have in his own home he came up short.  And thus the series was born!  Main characters in this series are Peter, Mary, and Hank the dog.  Not surprisingly these are characters in his real life as well.  Peter is his son, Mary his niece, and Hank is his dog.  I personally love learning how books come to be and would love to find out more about how his mind came up with this great story line.

Book One

 

Book one finds our main characters Peter, Mary, and Hank the dog staying with their Great Uncle Solomon who happens to be an archaeologist.  Here they discover ancient scrolls that have magical powers to transport them back back back into time.  So far back in time in fact that it is truly the Beginning of time.  Here they witness the creation of the world.   But it’s not all fun and games as they must solve a mystery or they will not be allowed to return to present time.  While learning about history can be fun getting stuck there forever would not be.  As they rush around to discover the answer they get to meet some interesting characters in history including that dreaded snake.  Other fun and interesting characters are their fun rhino friends who offer rides and even the angel Michael who gives them a seven day timeline before they’re stuck forever.

My kids were spellbound.  My older kids read this book in a matter of an hour or two each and had read both books before the day was up.  They then of course were begging for the other books which have not been released yet.  On our amazon waitlist they go!

Book Two

 

Book two follows the storyline of book one in that more ancient scrolls are found that transport our trio back in time with another mystery to solve.  This time they are taken back to the time of Noah’s Ark.  They must find Noah and help with the completion of the ark.  Along the way they meet helpful characters and foes who will stop at nothing to ensure their mission is not completed.  The dark ruler will send a shiver down your back.  A good mysterious shiver not a violent one.  Seven days is all the time Peter, Mary, and Hank the dog have to solve their riddle in order to get home.

We really enjoyed these books.  My kids that can read all sat down to read them on their own.  We also used them as read alouds for my non readers.  They very much remind us of another Biblical fiction for young readers(at least in our house) that we have repeatedly used as read alouds.  A good strong Christian basis.   If you do not ever want your child to read anything that contains magic then this is not the book for you.  They do contain magic as the characters are transported back in time through ancient scrolls and have to solve mysteries in order to make it back home.  We don’t do witches or “dark” magic in our home but this kind of magic or fantasy is allowed and I am comfortable with all my children reading these books. 

Learn More

Want to learn more?  Interested in what other review families thought of these two books?  Check out the Main Post on the Homeschool Review Crew blog where all the reviews have been linked up.  Also make sure to check out their facebook, instagram, and twitter for more about Biblical fiction for young readers and the other books that are to come in this series of The Secret of the Hidden Scrolls. 

Read our review of books three and four HERE and books five and six HERE!