Also by this author: Betty Greene: The Girl Who Longed to Fly
Series: Do Great Things for God #9
Published by Good Book Company on June 19, 2023
Genres: Children's, Children's Educational
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Extraordinary real-life story of missionary Amy Carmichael―an inspirational role model for children.
Read the true story of Amy Carmichael, a missionary who shared Christ’s love with hundreds of women and children in Asia.
At a time when being a single female missionary was extremely costly, Amy Carmichael spent her life sharing Christ’s love with hundreds of women and children in Asia. Along the way, she adapted to fit into cultures very different from her own, learned to depend on God in prayer, and became a mother to many children who had been sold, kidnapped, outcast, or abandoned.
This beautifully illustrated children's biography of Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos. It is part of a series designed to show kids that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
This new installment in the Do Great Things for God series features Amy Carmichael, a famous missionary who served in India for many years and adopted children from desperate situations. I enjoyed learning about Amy Carmichael when I was in elementary school, and this picture book biography is a great introduction for today’s children, with simple text from Hunter Beless and colorful, expressive illustrations from Héloïse Mab. The book covers multiple aspects of Carmichael’s life and ministry, and it emphasizes her prayer life and her choice to dress like the people she ministered to and adapt to their cultures.
At the end, this book includes a historic photograph of Carmichael with some of the children she cared for. There is also a timeline, a map, and an advertisement for the free activity sheets that adults can download from the publisher’s website to use with children. This book is informative and inspiring, and it is entirely age-appropriate. Beless is vague about the situations Carmichael rescued children from, simply saying that they were “sold, kidnapped, and abandoned.” The book does not refer to temple prostitution or any of the other violent histories many of these children faced.
I would highly recommend Amy Carmichael: The Brown-Eyed Girl Who Learned to Pray to families, churches, and Christian schools. It shares great historical information and is very inspirational, and it gives a thorough sense of Carmichael’s life while still being short and simple enough for young readers. This will appeal to kids who are old enough to read the book independently, and parents can also read it aloud to younger children. The activities are appropriate for use at home, church, or educational settings, and can deepen the book’s impact by inviting further reflection and study.
