Book Review: Crossroads in Jerusalem

Crossroads in Jerusalem. Elizabeth Raum. 2019. JourneyForth/BJU Press. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I love choose your own adventure books. I do. Elizabeth Raum has written several biblical choose your own adventure for young elementary-aged readers. Others in the series include Crossroads Among the Gentiles, Christmas Crossroads, and Crossroads in Galilee. Each book offers a series of journeys. In the newest Choose Your Journey, the three journeys are: Journey with a Boy of Jerusalem (and witness Jesus overturning the money-changing tables at the temple), Journey with a Servant Girl (and witness Jesus healing the man at the Bethesda Pool), and Journey with the Lawyer's Assistant (and witness Jesus telling the parable of the Good Samaritan). Of course those are just a tiny selection of the events you may witness in this one. Each story has multiple endings, of course--as all choose your own adventure books do--and readers can reread the book until he/she has read them all.

First sentence from Journey 1: It’s spring in Jerusalem, time for Passover. Passover is the greatest of the Jewish feasts. It occurs every spring and lasts for a week. Jews from all over the world come to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Exodus from Egypt and the barley harvest.
First sentence from Journey 2: Now that you are eleven years old, you can be a great help. You are a member of Chuza’s household. Chuza is an important man. He works for Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee and Perea.
First sentence from Journey 3: The lawyer calls you his assistant. Servant is a better title. You’re actually a slave. Your mother was a slave, which makes you one too.

I love how the back matter includes references for all the events in the book. Readers can choose to read the biblical accounts for themselves in their original context. The choose your own adventure books do tend to rearrange things quite a bit!

I definitely enjoy the series.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: Crossroads in Galilee

Crossroads in Galilee. Elizabeth Raum. 2016. BJU Press. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Your first choice: Who are you? If you are a boy from the vineyard, turn to A Boy in the Vineyard. If you are the fishermen's sister, turn to The Fishermen's Sister. If you are the tax collector's brother, turn to The Tax Collector's Brother.

Premise/plot: Remember the Choose Your Own Adventure books?!?! Crossroads in Galilee is a "Choose Your Journey" book. The premise is the same. Readers choose between three characters (2 boys, 1 girl). Within each journey there are plenty of decisions--big and small--for readers to make. Not all journeys end well. I came across at least one or two that were less than ideal. But most do end well--with the reader ending up believing and trusting in Jesus.

My thoughts: I really, really, really love the idea of this one!!!! IF this book had been around when I was a kid, I would have read it a dozen times, I think.

At the end of the book, the author shares a list of bible passages for each of the three journeys. Readers get a good, solid behind-the-scenes experience of following Jesus.

For example, journey one: Matthew 3:1-12, Matthew 3:13-17, John 1:35-36, Luke 3:10-14, Luke 3:18-20, Mark 6:17-29, Matthew 11:2-3, Matthew 11:4-6, Matthew 11:7-15, Luke 4:33-37, Matthew 8:21-22, Matthew 8:23-27, Matthew 9:2-8, Mark 4:3-9.

The back matter also includes more in-depth information to help readers place these stories into context.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

Book Review: The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt

The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt. Scott O'Dell. 1975/1988. JourneyForth. 182 pages. [Source: Bought]

Tom Barton is the young hero of The Hawk That Dare Not Hunt By Day. Tom sails with his uncle. They're smugglers during the reign of Henry VIII. One of the things both are interested in, to a certain degree, is the Reformation, in part led by Martin Luther. The novel opens with Tom smuggling in some of Luther's pamphlets or tracts. It is not without risk.

One of the men he approaches early on is William Tyndale. Tyndale is able to put Tom in touch with some booksellers who might just be interested in Luther's work. During their conversation, Tyndale also lets Tom know that he's looking to leave England. Tom welcomes him aboard his uncle's ship even though they don't typically take passengers. The novel focuses on Tom's interest in the Reformation, his relationship with William Tyndale,  and his willingness to risk it all to smuggle dangerous books into England. The novel is about William Tyndale translating the New Testament into English.

Having the Bible in English is something that most readers take for granted, I imagine. This book brings that time period to life. I really loved this historical novel. I do.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible