Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids
by Jill Osborne
published by Zonderkidz
My Two Cents
As a reader (and lover) of Christian fiction, I confess that some of it is less than awesome...just like any genre. And with a middle grade reader in my home, I have encountered many sub-par books in this category. I have to tell you though, Riley Mae exceeded my expectations. It is not at all "preachy." which is the downfall of many Christian middle grade books. This book included scripture, but not every other sentence. It focused on real world issues of 12 year old Riley Mae, who is just as lively as any tween. The central verse is Ephesians 6:15 : "For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared." I thought this was a perfect verse for a darling protagonist who happens to be the spokeswoman for a shoe company! The central theme is clearly Christian, and the book embrace Christianity as a belief, a way of living...not just lip-service and churchy words. The book is action packed and has some mystery. It is just plain fun to read!
"'Normal' was starting to confuse me.
For Sunday, getting back to normal would be good.
For Rusty, not so good.
For me...well, I had a feeling that I wouldn't have
to worry too much about that,
because it was never going to happen."
I had not read the first book in The Good News Shoes series (Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek), but I will definitely purchase it for my daughter! I whole-heartedly recommend this to readers on Christian fiction. It is scripturally sound and enjoyable to read.
About the Author:
Jill Osborne works in children’s ministry and has a passion for telling great stories. She has written plays, skits for youth groups and Sunday morning drama teams, curriculum for children’s ministry, countless articles for her church newsletter, and a blog about taking a sabbatical in a motor home. Good News Shoes is her first series for kids, and she plans to run with it!
Book Description
If you’re gonna run for your life, you gotta wear the right shoes.
Life is rapidly changing for pre-teen shoe spokesperson Riley Mae. After the last photo shoot and trek up the Half-Dome in Yosemite, Riley Mae and her Swiftriver friends find themselves in Northwest Montana, the perfect backdrop for a river sandal campaign. The first problem is a plane malfunction. Then the rigorous raft training for the “Ready Eddy” river sandal campaign brings more bumps and bruises. And given that she is in Montana for a shoe campaign instead of back home with her friends, Riley thinks life can’t get much worse. But then she meets Sunday, a 10 year-old boy from Kenya, who wrestles fish, battles bears, and tackles leukemia. And Riley soon learns that life is as unpredictable as the raging waters, which, if she is not careful, will sweep her away and into the hands of the enemy - who is even closer than she thinks.
For more fun titles similar to the Riley Mae books, be sure to check out www.faithgirlz.com
*I received a free copy of Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids in exchange for an honest review.
Labels: chapter book, diversity in kidlit, girl power, love of reading, MG, religion, sequel, series
