Published by Moody Publishers on September 2, 2025
Genres: Non-Fiction, Parenting
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A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe. —Madeleine L'Engle
God loves stories. We understand the world and ourselves in light of His great story. And humans reflect Him in their love to tell and immerse themselves in story. But not all stories are equal—or even good.
Good books awaken us to truth, warn us from falsehood, and provide unforgettable examples. They open our hearts to beauty and wonder. They shape us. In The Redeemed Reader, parents and educators find encouragement and guidance to raise readers who can engage both heart and mind with books and the culture surrounding them.
This book offers insight into how to build discernment in children and provides practical tips, examples, and booklists for their literary journey. Passionate about shepherding imaginations and young hearts, the authors read ahead so that you can confidently choose books for your children.
Readers will discover a deeper understanding of how the gospel shines into children’s books and practical guidance for applying these principles. If you want the imaginations of your children to be formed by what is good and true, The Redeemed Reader will equip you—parents, librarians, and educators—to navigate literary culture in a fallen world and to nurture thoughtful readers.
This guide for Christian parents shares helpful insights for shepherding children through the world of stories. The authors run a reviewing website by the same name as this book, and in these pages, they share their expertise in understanding children’s literature and navigating it with a Christian worldview. At the beginning, Cheaney, Farquhar, Morell, and Saben introduce themselves and their mission, and they explore foundational concepts related to loving truth and story, developing discernment, and understanding genres and reading levels.
Even though this book has four authors, they write in a singular, unified voice, without any choppy transitions. They also did a great job organizing their thoughts. The writing is clear and easy to follow, and there are lots of helpful headings and subheadings. The strong organization makes this book a great resource to dip into when certain questions or issues arise. You’ll get the most out of reading this cover to cover, but can also use it as a reference guide.
The authors emphasize the importance of knowing your child and understanding their needs, so that you can help them find books that will nourish them and steer them away from books that might harm them, or which they aren’t yet ready for. In all this, the authors share wisdom for helping your child learn to make their own wise choices in the future. The authors will sometimes share personal opinions about certain books, but their overall emphasis is on equipping parents to make wise decisions and pass those skills onto their kids.
One part of The Redeemed Reader focuses on the joys and potential dangers of reading the classics. The authors warn parents against thinking that something is “safe” just because it was published a long time ago, and in addition to confronting problems like racism, the authors note some subtler worldview issues that can sneak by in older books.
After this, they engage with contemporary publishing, exploring common topics and offering suggestions for how parents can navigate “messy” books that may offer great value, but also have troubling content or themes. The authors model good questions to ask yourself about these books, as well as prompts for conversations with kids. This book also touches on several practical issues, such as choosing between Christian resources, loving your neighbor in how you engage with books and authors, getting the most out of your local library, and managing personal book collections.
Other chapters offer deeper dives into specific categories of books, such as picture books and beginning readers, as well as different literary genres. The authors are very knowledgeable about publishing standards and trends, and their insights can help parents better understand and discover books that appeal to their children’s ages and interests. These chapters are insightful and practical, and each one concludes with a list of reading recommendations. At the end of the book, the authors suggest even more recommended titles, organized by category or age group.
The Redeemed Reader: Cultivating a Child’s Discernment and Imagination Through Truth and Story is an excellent, in-depth guide to raising readers, finding good books, and navigating challenging content in wise and discerning ways. This will be a wonderful resource for Christian parents for years to come. This guide will especially appeal to homeschoolers, and it will also be helpful for Christian educators and librarians. I also recommend this for mature teenagers who want to think more deeply about their reading habits, or who want tips for discovering and evaluating less familiar genres.
