Do you have children who love action and suspense? Do you worry what may be in the books that contain action and suspense? I know I do! That’s why I was excited to be introduced to the Jack Staples series and invited to be part of the Jack Staples and the Ring of Time Blog Tour!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my Jack Staples review. Regardless, all opinions are my own.
What I love most about the Jack Staples series is the heart behind the series by its author, Mark Batterson. His heart behind this book is to provide an exciting story that also incorporates life lessons for its readers. Who doesn’t love knowing their child is not just enjoying a story but learning important life lessons as well? I surely do!
Jack Staples is a Young Adult Fiction Series that is filled with action and suspense. The main character, Jack, is an eleven-year-old boy whose life is upended when he is whisked into an amazing, but dangerous, adventure. He learns many things along the way from trusting to being brave. From the very beginning it is made apparent that Jack is special. He just seems to be more aware and notice things others don’t.
Plus, the book begins with immediate suspense. It’s definitely one of those books that is a page turner. You finish a chapter, and you just want to keep reading to see what will happen next. Because our kids are younger and beginning readers, this is definitely not a book they can read by themselves. So, I read it to them, and I think I was getting into it as much as (if not more) than them! I did find that although they are younger (our older two, in particular, are the ones that were listening to the book, and they are 9 and 7), it was still a fun story-line into which they could get interested and enjoy.

Of course, the only downfall is that there were many times I wanted to keep reading, but we do most of our family reading at night, and I didn’t want to compromise bedtime! So we would only read one chapter at a time, which was a great length for family story time!
We have definitely enjoyed Jack Staples and the Ring of Time. We have been sick so much in the past couple of months that it also made for great entertainment when we couldn’t do much else! It’s a great story for family story time, though I do think some parents may feel the content isn’t ideal for younger children like ours due to the depth of the content. I think it would be a great read for older children – particularly those that love suspense and read chapter books. The story line is suspenseful, and really makes you think about many things.

About the Author

Mark Batterson is lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC, one of the most innovative and influential churches in America. He is a national speaker and the New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker, All In, and In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day.
Joel N. Clark is the author of Awake – the book you can watch, and co-founder of Atlas District Pictures and Switchvert, a production house located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Clark has written and directed multiple documentaries, commercials, and short films. He and his wife, Megan, and their daughter, Juno, reside in Washington, DC.

Jack Staples and the Ring of Time can be purchased on Amazon.
 

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Opinions are my own and those of my family and NOT inspired by monetary compensation.”

Their Name is Today: Reclaiming Childhood in a Hostile World is a thought-provoking parenting book written by Johann Christoph Arnold. It talks about what it is to be a child and how, as a parent, to consider what it means to be a child and foster that in your children.
About Their Name is Today:

Despite a perfect storm of hostile forces that threaten to deny children a healthy, happy childhood, courageous parents and teachers can turn the tide. Yes, we can reclaim childhood, says Johann Christoph Arnold, whose books have helped more than a million readers through the challenges of education and family life. In Their Name Is Today, he highlights drastic changes in the way our society treats children. But he also brings together the voices of dedicated parents and educators who are finding creative ways to give children the time and space they need to grow. Cutting through the noise of conflicting opinions, Arnold takes us to the heart of education and parenting by defending every child’s right to the joy and wonder of childhood.

I definitely found Their Name is Today to be thought-provoking and interesting to read. Their is so much that had me nodding along. One of the reasons we homeschool is because it does afford us the opportunity to let our children express themselves and just be who they are – children! They aren’t bound by rigid expectations according to their age and standardized tests that are just that – standardized. They’re not designed to allow children to be who they are – learn as they learn.
There were also things that had me shaking my head, though, too. For example, I agree partially with the chapter “In Praise of Difficult Children.” As a mother of three special needs children I often hear “they’re just being kids.” Having the same disorder as two of them (Sensory Processing Disorder), I know deep in my heart they struggle and helping them is important. Saying they’re “just being kids” and ignoring this need could be damaging.
I agree that there is much pressure to use medications and subdue “difficult children.” I agree with this and don’t feel that is the answer, but I don’t think refusing to acknowledge it is either. It’s VERY real. We work very hard to support and help our children – homeschooling instead of resorting to institutions that don’t understand them, spending much time with them, etc. I think it’s not only OK but important for them to understand their differences so they can learn to approach them as they see fit – with our help.
Overall, I definitely find it was definitely worth reading. In fact, I like reading books that with material I don’t always agree with because it does make me think deeply and pray over things. There is a lot of material in Their Name is Today that is fantastic, and I think it’s definitely worth reading for any parents, educators, or anyone that works with children!

For More Information:

Visit the Their Name is Today information page on Plough

Giveaway!!

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