I have only one avid reader amongst my children, and I prefer to provide her with Christ-centered reading, so I was happy to get a chance to review The Secret Bridge from Lamplighter Publishing, whose mission is to help develop Christlike character in their readers "one story at a time."
What is The Secret Bridge?
I received a beautiful hardcover book that is in the style of the original 1899 book. When given a chance, I much prefer a book I can hold in my hand as opposed to an ebook, but this particular book went above and beyond even my handheld expectations. It has a beautiful engraved and gilded cover and feels like holding a classic leather book in my hands.
Amy Le Feuvre was a writer who lived in England, born in 1861, this book was written after she had been a well-known and seasoned writer. Some other books she is known for include The Captain's Sword, Jill's Red Bag, The locked Cupboard, Me and Nobbles, Probable Sons, A Puzzling Pair, A 'Strordinary Little Maid, An Unexpected Offer, and Teddy's Button. Apparently, Teddy's button was a very popular children's book during the Victorian era.... I had never heard of the author nor any of her books.
The Secret Bridge was originally written in 1899 by the English author from London and has been republished by Lamplighter Publishing. Because of this, the grammar and style of writing is Old English. What Lamplighter Publishing does to bring this into modern reading times is they provide footnotes to explain words that were common for that era but not known as well today. The footnotes also include scripture references. The F-K reading grade score for the book is a 4.6, and I'm not sure how that equates with ages or school grade level, but I would put it at least at a middle school level and probably more like high school or above for being able to really embrace and understand the depth of the content of scriptural references, marriage, and relationships. It is a 261-page, 20 chapter story.
THE STORY
The story is full of surprises and secrets revealed. It begins with a young woman named Bridget who finds herself alone after the death of her father. The story progresses through her experiences as a new bride and stepping into a centuries old feud between two families. As the story unfolds, she is asked by her husband to keep a secret, a secret about her is revealed and in the process she plays a very important role in whether or not love can bridge lifetimes of hatred and anger. Throughout, scripture is revealed as Bridget is challenged to deepen her relationship with Christ as a bride waiting for her bridegroom both literally and spiritually. She is challenged to "Acquaint thyself with Him" as she draws closer to God.
Amy Le Feuvre was a writer who lived in England, born in 1861, this book was written after she had been a well-known and seasoned writer. Some other books she is known for include The Captain's Sword, Jill's Red Bag, The locked Cupboard, Me and Nobbles, Probable Sons, A Puzzling Pair, A 'Strordinary Little Maid, An Unexpected Offer, and Teddy's Button. Apparently, Teddy's button was a very popular children's book during the Victorian era.... I had never heard of the author nor any of her books.
The Secret Bridge was originally written in 1899 by the English author from London and has been republished by Lamplighter Publishing. Because of this, the grammar and style of writing is Old English. What Lamplighter Publishing does to bring this into modern reading times is they provide footnotes to explain words that were common for that era but not known as well today. The footnotes also include scripture references. The F-K reading grade score for the book is a 4.6, and I'm not sure how that equates with ages or school grade level, but I would put it at least at a middle school level and probably more like high school or above for being able to really embrace and understand the depth of the content of scriptural references, marriage, and relationships. It is a 261-page, 20 chapter story.
Footnote reference of scripture
Footnote reference to word meanings
Beautiful old-style calligraphy style introductions.
THE STORY
The story is full of surprises and secrets revealed. It begins with a young woman named Bridget who finds herself alone after the death of her father. The story progresses through her experiences as a new bride and stepping into a centuries old feud between two families. As the story unfolds, she is asked by her husband to keep a secret, a secret about her is revealed and in the process she plays a very important role in whether or not love can bridge lifetimes of hatred and anger. Throughout, scripture is revealed as Bridget is challenged to deepen her relationship with Christ as a bride waiting for her bridegroom both literally and spiritually. She is challenged to "Acquaint thyself with Him" as she draws closer to God.
How Did We Use It?
I intended on handing the book to my avid reader child who is 15 and loves to read Christ-focused books. As it turned out, she was busy reading a stack of books she recently checked out from the library, so I decided I would go ahead and read it and preview it to see if it was even a book I would want her to read. I did, however, talk to her about what I was reading without giving away the secrets of the book.
What Did We Think?
First of all, I don't think I've ever read a book that was originally written in 1899. Both I and my daughter thought that was very cool. My son even found that intriguing. Second, I absolutely loved the feel of this book in my hands and loved the intricate picture on the cover.
Getting into the crux of the story, I found myself on the edge of my seat. This is saying quite a bit coming from me, because I tend to get bored with reading quite fast. If the first few paragraphs don't hold my interest, I'm done. This was not the case with this book. Not only did it hold my interest, but I didn't want to put it down. For that reason, it turned out to be a fairly quick read with me being able to finish it in a couple days.
Above all, I really love that the book weaves biblical passages and principles throughout the entire story. I cannot wait for my daughter to read it.
Getting into the crux of the story, I found myself on the edge of my seat. This is saying quite a bit coming from me, because I tend to get bored with reading quite fast. If the first few paragraphs don't hold my interest, I'm done. This was not the case with this book. Not only did it hold my interest, but I didn't want to put it down. For that reason, it turned out to be a fairly quick read with me being able to finish it in a couple days.
Above all, I really love that the book weaves biblical passages and principles throughout the entire story. I cannot wait for my daughter to read it.
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Read what other members of the Homeschool Review Crew thought by clicking on the picture below:
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