I read this book for one of my book clubs. The insights and quips balance the theological topics. I had the privilege of hearing Brennan Manning speak several years ago. Even in a room filled with hundreds, it was like having a fireside chat with him. Reading this book was the same. Even better, it reminded me of the greatest conversations of all...those with Abba!

I can see why this book was so controversial for its time! It resembles a soap opera. I was surprised how easy-to-read it was given the time period and era of writing. One of the biggest questions about classics is "What makes this book a classic?" In this case, read the book. Chances are you will have viewed or known these characters and scenarios in some form or another!

This is a re-read for me. But, I enjoyed it again! I love how water flows through each of these poems.

I was so excited when I saw this title in our Civil War history curriculum. It is a wonderful fictional account of the war told through the eyes of a nine to thirteen-year-old Illinois boy. I remember hearing it read to me when I was in school and loved reading it my boys. It makes all the battles, generals, and hardships of war click for young people. I highly recommend it!

It's been a while since I have read this series, but it was great to get reacquainted with the characters. I enjoy how the mystery is not all there is to these books. There is always a greater lesson to be learned. Interestingly, I was reading this book at the same time as the Miss USA results. I won't elaborate on further connections so as not to spoil the read. But, it made the read more relevant for me.

If you are looking for a wholesome, heart-warming, funny read this is a great one! I laughed out loud at the antics of this small, Quaker community's characters. I'm looking forward to reading the next one in the series!

This book is a new favorite for me! I already added it to my son's reading list for this month. We are studying the Civil War. He'll be reading this one along with Uncle Tom's Cabin and three other novels. I'm asking him to watch for pre-war (Uncle Tom's Cabin), during the war (three novels), and post-war (To Kill a Mockingbird) observations. Challenging, I know! But, I think he needs it!

My feelings are divided on this book. I can see how some may take offense to it from a theological standpoint. But, I can also see some thought-provoking points of possibility as well. I am glad I read it for discussion purposes. But, it isn't one of my top books. I was okay with about 85% of the spiritual journey and question the other 15%. I thought the shift from the fast-paced story to the spiritual journey was a bit forced. I can understand why someone may put it down. But, I do recommend reading it all the way through as Young connects both sections in the end. Because of the tone of this fictional story with a real-life author persona, I think many could wonder about the story-behind-the-story and Young's motives in telling it. As a writer, I can guess why he did it. As a reader, it poses a few too many questions. I would be very selective about recommending this book. Without having a solid, biblical knowledge-base, this book could become an ideal rather than an idea. So, even though I did not take offense to the entire book, I feel comfortable rating it with only 2 stars.

I read this book along with my mother, sister, and sister-in-law as a Bible study. We live many miles apart, so reading a book together is a good way for us to keep in touch and learn more about God's Word together. While this book does not contain a formal set of questions, it provides many poignant examples through anecdotes about why we are so much like sheep. Many of the stories are humorous, but there is always a connection to scripture and life application. I also learned about sheep and shepherding. I am not in the market for buying sheep, but it was very interesting to learn about them. This is a great book if you love reading zaney animal stories, how we are just as zaney as they are, how God is our great shepherd, and how we can learn from His example.