EricaB Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 What are your favorite and least favorite missionary books and why? Age group - 7yrs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in OR Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Love Missionary Stories with the Millers! The stories are perfect for 6-10 year olds, very interesting, brief, and are great springboards for additional research and discussion. We've read through ours at least twice! And my ds 10 and I are going through Jesus Freaks: Martyrs. It can get intense sometimes but the stories are absolutely stirring and he and I have great discussions about what would we do in that situation, how does God give you strength for these things, etc.. I'm watching his little heart really become very tender towards things that he previously was somewhat cavalier about. It's our favorite way to end the day. (But I wouldn't read it to my dd 8, who has such a tender heart that the stories would really bother her). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 (edited) We do not care for the series by the Benges -- frankly, we find them to be boring and poorly written. Specific missionary titles we have loved: - Missionary Stories with the Millers (age 6+) - And the Word Came With Power (age 6+) - Trial and Triumph (age 7+) - Bruchko (age 10+) - God's Smuggler (age 10+) - The Hiding Place (age 12+) - Tramp for the Lord (age 12+) Not missionary stories, but for ages 5-8 we really enjoyed: - New Toes for Tia (Sonlight curriculum) - The Gods Must Be Angry (Sonlight curriculum) - Stories From Africa (Sonlight curriculum) - Storytime with the Millers (and others in the series) - A Hive of Busy Bees (and the sequel) Edited May 13, 2009 by Lori D. added info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 We are really enjoying Gladys Aylward: The Adventure of a Lifetime by Janet and Geoff Benge. It's had my kids on the edge of their seats. Last year, we read George Muller in the same series. It took us a little longer to get into that book and I thought it was going to be a dud, but I found it very inspiring and was surprised at how much we all wound up enjoying it. I know I must have heard a comment about them being poorly written before because as I've been reading the Aylward book this week, I've been trying to understand why someone would say that. It may not be great literature, but the writing isn't bothering me at all. BTW, my kids are 9 and 7 and we've been reading these books as part of SL Cores 1 and 2. Another series of missionary stories for younger children that are nice are the Heroes for Young Readers series by Renee Taft Meloche. My kids really enjoyed these as well. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budeb Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 The Trailblazer books by Dave and Neta Jackson are awesome. They are thrilling adventure stoies introducing young readers to Christian heros of the past. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricaB Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teacalm Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 This is more for the younger crowd but we love Heaven's Heroes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calandalsmom Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 7 is a little too young but by far the best one I have read is In Search of the Source included in SL core 4. Ones I esp disliked Bruchko (seems to depict the vending machine God/ name it and claim it style of prayer) and Torches of Joy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sahamamama Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 We do not care for the series by the Benges -- frankly, we find them to be boring and poorly written. :iagree: After reading several of these, we gave up trying to like them. Sorry, but we, too, think that they are boring and not well-written. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faline Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Missionary Stories with the Millers was a huge hit with all my dc. In fact, they love the whole series of the Millers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 We do not care for the series by the Benges -- frankly, we find them to be boring and poorly written. :iagree: We are using MFW:ECC this year, and we have completely skipped these books. We made it 1/2 way through the first one - but we were all bored to tears. To many dates/facts/etc., and not enough plot. We substituted instead with several books from the Young Reader's Christian Library - ( by Barbour publishing.) They were perfect for my 8-11 yr olds! We read books on Jim Elliot, David Livingstone, Corrie Ten Boom, Hudson Taylor...and several others. The books were much more age appropriate for children, plus they were illustrated and they had decent plots that made my children beg for.... " Just ONE more chapter, Mom!" Here is a sample of one http://www.amazon.com/Elliot-Young-Readers-Christian-Library/dp/157748228X/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242328027&sr=1-6 I can't highly recommend these books enough! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricaB Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 We do not care for the series by the Benges -- frankly, we find them to be boring and poorly written. Too bad, I was really considering these. It seems like everyone like the Millers. I'll have to look at that one and the others mentioned more closely. Any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Erica, I do have to amend my statement. We tried about 6 of the Benge biographies (various ones listed in the various of the Sonlight curriculum), and we did like the Gladys Aylward one -- BUT it was because her life was so interesting. The others were dry. And I'm afraid we didn't care for the Trailblazer series either. The boys did like the one about Florence Nightengale because the fictional protagonist was a boy, but we just couldn't get into any others. The writing was not that great to us. The YWAM books (Torches of Joy, Peace Child, Search of the Source) are usually for older children (grade 5 and up). You might look at It's a Jungle Out There, the autobiography/childhood memories of Ron Snell, growing up in the Amazon jungle as a missionary child. The Rat Catcher's Son (book in Sonlight curriculum) is another great set of stories with choices and character building morals -- like some of the others I listed above. But, please look the Benge books and others over for yourself -- every family sees things differently. Warmest regards, Lori D. For 3rd-5th grade level, we felt the Sowers series (biographies on various Christians) was better written. We especially enjoyed the one on George Washington Carver. The Teresa of Calcutta one was interesting, too. George Washington Carver: Man's Slave Becomes God's Scientist http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=91405&event=ENETP Teresa of Calcutta http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=91421&event=ECF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urban mama Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 my ds-8 has read all of the Hero Tales series (4 volumes) at least 3 times each and will still grab one of these to take with to doctor's appointments. We enjoyed reading them as read alouds and the other kids frequently ask me to read them about on of the missionaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmermom3 Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 We have read 6 of the Benge biographies. My older ds liked the first one he read about Betty Greene, probably because she was a pilot. After that, he said the characters all sounded the same no matter what the location or challenge was, like a formula. My younger ds did enjoy Teresa of Calcutta in the Sower Series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FloridaLisa Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 My dc have really enjoyed the Benge series, so don't discount it so quickly. You may like them. In addition to other books that have been mentioned, we used Windows on the World, by Operation World I believe, about various countries and people groups, stats and prayer concerns. Gorgeous pictures. The Sonlight and YWAM catalogs have excellent suggestions for missionary biographies. HTH, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricaB Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 Erica, I do have to amend my statement. We tried about 6 of the Benge biographies (various ones listed in the various of the Sonlight curriculum), and we did like the Gladys Aylward one -- BUT it was because her life was so interesting. The others were dry. And I'm afraid we didn't care for the Trailblazer series either. The boys did like the one about Florence Nightengale because the fictional protagonist was a boy, but we just couldn't get into any others. The writing was not that great to us. The YWAM books (Torches of Joy, Peace Child, Search of the Source) are usually for older children (grade 5 and up). You might look at It's a Jungle Out There, the autobiography/childhood memories of Ron Snell, growing up in the Amazon jungle as a missionary child. The Rat Catcher's Son (book in Sonlight curriculum) is another great set of stories with choices and character building morals -- like some of the others I listed above. But, please look the Benge books and others over for yourself -- every family sees things differently. Warmest regards, Lori D. For 3rd-5th grade level, we felt the Sowers series (biographies on various Christians) was better written. We especially enjoyed the one on George Washington Carver. The Teresa of Calcutta one was interesting, too. George Washington Carver: Man's Slave Becomes God's Scientist http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=91405&event=ENETP Teresa of Calcutta http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=91421&event=ECF Thanks! This will be a good list for me to take to the convention this weekend. MFW and Sonlight will be there as well as the publisher for the Benges series. I will look forward to looking up your other suggestions too. THANKS AGAIN! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 The Trailblazer books by Dave and Neta Jackson are awesome. They are thrilling adventure stoies introducing young readers to Christian heros of the past. Deb Especially for the age you're looking at. However, my 11 and 12 year still enjoy them. We also enjoy the Benge books, but I would probably wait until they're a few years older. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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