There are some serious things to consider above, no doubt about that, but we will say that there is so much solid Christian content here for children and parents alike. In fact, we were probably more challenged to grow in our faith from this book than any other children’s book we have read to this point. That is big. The Patricia St. John books we have reviewed, some of our very favorites such as Treasures of the Snow, primarily show an unsaved child being led to faith by amazing believing people around them. This book is the flip of that situation. Here we start with a girl so ‘good’ and devoted to God that each and every committed Christian who reads it is almost assuredly going to be challenged. And we see the impact this focus on doing right by our Heavenly Father can have on even the most hard and cruel around us as the light shines brightly in the darkness. This book provides a picture of how far we all have to grow in our faith, the impact strong faith can have on others and the impact parents have on their children.

Maybe the most important thing to say is that the gospel message is presented as it is intended and there is an incredible focus on our need for a savior woven in. Multiple people are called to repent and believe by the most incredible childlike faith. There is no ‘cheap grace’ here. Even for Elsie, who is wonderful, we hear multiple instances like when a friend tells her, “you’re not bad”, to which she replies how God views our sins (see Romans 1). We see a clear focus on the ineptitude of attempting to simply ‘be moral’.

We will give some examples here, but know that this is only a small sampling of the amazing content you will see played out in this story. Elsie loves her “pocket Bible”, “which bore the marks of frequent use” and she enjoys reading it to herself, reading it to others and quoting it accurately in all types of situations. At one point she says, “I would rather stay at home (missing a fun day out) than be deceitful”. She gets frustrated with herself, even when she is persecuted, for not responding more like Jesus. She says many things like, “I do love Jesus and want to be like Him always”. Elsie is committed to prayer throughout the book. At one point we read, “But in spite of all of her trials…, little Elsie was the happiest person in the family, for she had in her heart that peace which the world can neither give nor take away, that joy which the Savior gives to His own… she constantly carried all her troubles and sorrows to Him”. Also, later she shows incredible faith in the face of a near-death experience, “Her destiny was in her Heavenly Father’s hands”, resulting in an amazing gospel opportunity with many verses quoted. Her faith drives her to excellence in all she does, as she carries “her religious principles into that (school) as well as everything else”.

There are a few other characters like Elsie, which provide a contrast to the more secular characters. Mrs. Allison, a visitor, is described as a “committed Christian” who encourages her faith and even offers to meet with her morning and evening to study the scriptures. She is described as being “pained by the utter disregard of the family … for the teaching of God’s Word”. She was taught to love Jesus by her “mammy”, the servant who her mother entrusted her to teach about the Lord on her deathbed. Mammy is loving and kind throughout.

We are admittedly basing everything in this review on the first book and there is almost guaranteed to be more concerning aspects like those above across the many books that follow, but we feel that all of the amazing, inspiring content is worth it if a child is mature enough and a parent is willing to guide their child through the journey. This one is Highly Recommended, especially for those parents willing to read it alongside their children. In fact, we think most Christian parents will enjoy it and be challenged by it themselves.