Huguenot Garden

Although intended for children, I nonetheless found this book to be most interesting. Some of my ancestors were Huguenots, but I've never known anything about them. After reading this book, I feel I understand so much more about the Huguenot culture. It follows the experiences of two twin sisters and their family as they endure persecution in France for their Faith. Thankfully, unlike with so many of the Huguenots, this story has a pleasant ending. One that'll make your eyes well up. I do recommend it and think everyone of all ages will find it to be most charming.

I just finished reading this book aloud to my children. They liked it well enough to keep asking for more although it was not as action-packed as Scottish Seas, the childrens' favorite book written by Douglas Jones. The heroes are twin french girls in La Rochelle, France, 1685. I'm guessing they are around 6-8 years old (the book doesn't tell). Two of their great joys are caring for their lamb "Boucle" and tending a small plot of land where they grow flowers and vegetables. Their parents actively teach them about the Lord. There are many sweet glimpses into every day life, from trampling grapes at their cousin's farm in the country to running errands in town with their older brother. There's also a childbirth, visits from dragoons, psalm singing, secretive night journeys, and more. The backdrop of this book is the persecution of the French Huegenots by Louis XIV and the Roman church. While this could have been quite a fearful subject, Jones has chosen to underscore God's faithfulness rather than the tyranny of men. I would recommend this as a very readable story that introduces children to the overarching theme of persecution and particularly, what the Huguenots endured. The girls with their family ultimately find safe haven in Southampton, England. I did find some portions a little pedantic, as another reviewer mentioned, but my children didn't seem to mind. As a parent, this kind of picture of godly family life is a great encouragement. It would be interesting to follow up with research about the siege on the Huguenots which occurred fifty some years earlier at La Rochelle (rather callously described in Dumas' The Three Musketeers). I give this book 5 stars but I can't seem to get the stars to click past 4 on this.

The "Pattern of Courtship" was a very clear book on courtship. Even though it is relatively short (63 pages) and cheap ($3.50), it definitely hits the target. This book tells you about the history of courtship as well as what courtship is about. It also lists references to the Bible which support courtship. I've read "I kissed Dating Goodbye", which I liked and I found this the "Pattern of Courtship" a good supplement to give a more detailed picture on Courtship.

THIS IS ONE OF MY VERY FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOKS! I KNOW ITS A GOOD BOOK WHEN I ENJOY READING IT AS MUCH AS MY CHILDREN DO LISTENING TO IT. THE STORY OF THE TWINS IS ENDEARING AS WELL AS EXCITING. AS A PARENT I AM SO DELIGHTED TO HAVE A GOOD CHILDREN'S LITERATURE BOOK THAT REENFORCES THE VALUES THAT MY HUSBAND AND I TRY TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN WITHOUT BEING PREACHY. I ALSO APPRECIATE GOOD BOOKS THAT AREN'T JUST FUN TO READ BUT DO DOUBLE DUTY AS HISTORICAL FICTION LIKE THIS ONE. IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK YOU WILL ALSO LOVE DUTCH COLOR AND SCOTTISH SEAS (ESPECIALY IF YOU HAVE BOYS) BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

I thought that this was a very good book. After reading other singles book, it served as another guide to help me along the path of singleness. I recommend this book for anyone who is struggling with dating and doesn't quite know how to start a relationship or make one last. It shows you common mistakes and patterns that you probably did not know you were making. I enjoyed the book!