Bobtail Adventures

The BOBTAILS ADVENTURES is a historical fiction series for children by Arthur Yeomans. Published by Wise Path Books.

Set in 1889 Vermont, the series revolves around a set of orphans, adopted by their widowed aunt, coming to terms with their parent’s death, adjusting to life in their new family, learning new responsibilities, and making new friends. The Bobtails series teaches lessons about responsibility, duty, difficult obedience, and, above all, trusting God through difficult circumstances.

My Review: I enjoyed reading both of these books. I love historical fiction (or books that were written before I was born) to learn more about what life was like... what was good, and what I am glad we have moved beyond.

The 4 children (Robert, Esther, Roger, and Ruth) are orphaned when both parents die, and during a meeting to decide who will raise them, the judge decides their Aunt Grace is in the best position to take custody. She is the children's least favorite relative, but they know there is no choice and prepare to move miles away from their hometown.

Grace does live up to her reputation of being very strict, but they soon learn she believes children need a balance of work and play. Even their nightly reading sessions are divided among spiritual growth through Bible reading, an educational book, and a book for pleasure reading. There are other bumps along the road as they deal with grief, new surroundings, learning responsibility with their new chores on Aunt Grace's dairy farm, and fitting into a new community including a few boys who want to challenge them. Robert gains a nemesis in Geoffrey who is the one who disparagingly calls the new kids "The Bobtails." Grace also finds unexpected romance with a widowed neighbor!

In the second book, the children have been adopted by Grace and her new husband! At the request of Grace, there are three 2 week long visits from their 3 uncles and aunts, and all of their cousins. The character development of all is fun to read, and I was sorry when each family would return home. I would love to know more about them; each family is worth a book (or more) on their own. Or, even numerous family visits like the Bobbsey Twins books I loved as a child.

The books are very well written and interesting. To modern eyes, the lives of these kids may seem harsh, but there was also a common sense approach to raising responsible children to become adults who can take care of themselves. These would be a fun family reading project with a lot of material for discussions. I also enjoy the train motif of the covers, and there are train-related stories included. The illustrations included are an absolute delight, and could also be included in a family project. I highly recommend both books (and look forward the reading their 3rd adventure when it is released.

Below are more details of each book: 

THE BOBTAILS MEET THE PREACHER'S KID

Robert was determined to do his best and make his dead father proud. Esther put her grief aside to take care of her little sister. Roger didn’t believe his parents were dead, and was just going to have fun until they came back. Ruth was confused and lost. But Aunt Grace had set her mind to providing the best possible home for her orphaned "niblings"... and Aunt Grace always did what she set her mind on.

A poignant story about four orphans and their widowed aunt who takes them in. Set on a dairy farm in Northern Vermont in 1889, Bobtails follows the children’s journey through grief, jealousy, and, finally, settled love with a new family and friendships.
Buy Book 1

THE BOBTAILS AND THE COUSINS

Now that the adoption is final, and the addition complete, the Bobtails are settling into their new house and family. But Aunt Grace writes to her brothers and says they need to come for a visit. Not all of the cousins are thrilled to come and spend time on a dairy farm, however. And they certainly get more than they expected!

The Bobtails series is set in 1889 Vermont and revolves around a set of orphans, adopted by their widowed aunt, coming to terms with their father’s death, adjusting to life in their new family, learning new responsibilities, and making new friends. In this installment, their cousins visit, and everyone learns a lot about farming, horse breeding, sermonizing, and living together. The Bobtails series teaches lessons about responsibility, duty, difficult obedience, and, above all, trusting God through difficult circumstances.
Buy Book 2
 

No Ocean Too Wide - Carrie Turansky

Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans--but was that the truth?

After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans' home before Laura is notified about her family's unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.

Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?

Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God."

My Review: We are introduced to the McAlister family in No Ocean Too Wide. When their widowed mother is admitted to the hospital due to illness, the 3 children (twins Katie and Garth, and 8-year-old Grace) remaining at home are placed into what they expected to be a temporary home. By the time the oldest sister finds out, the children have become among many British Home Children being sent to Canada. This is Book 1 of a trilogy and the focus is on Laura, the oldest, and Katie. 

The characters in the book are endearing, and sometimes frustrating with the decisions made at times, but this makes the story that much more relatable. The storyline of the British Home Children is one that seems unbelievable... yet it happened. The idea was built on a genuine concern about the best way to help children, but greed and evil also played a role in the lives of too many of these kids. There is also the matter of what was the cultural attitude of the early 1900s, including separation of classes. Laura is strongly attracted to the son of her former boss, but also has a distrust of wealthy young men. Andrew's interest in the child emigration program brings them together and provides a romantic, hopeful element to the story.

Author Carrie Turansky can be depended upon to develop characters you love and want to get to know better. The only thing I dislike is that... I want more of the people I met in this book but have to wait until the other books come out. I do recommend this heartwarming story of struggle, faith, love, and hope.

I received a free copy of this book as part of the WaterBrook Multnomah Launch Team. I was not required to write a positive review.

Buy the book!

Room For Hope by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Room For Hope is a stand alone novel from best selling author Kim Vogel Sawyer. Neva Shilling is a devoted wife and mother of 14 year old twins who willingly devotes her time to taking care of their family business during her husband's trips to other communities to sell items from his wagon and get supplies to replenish their store, Shilling Mercantile. Despite the hardships brought on by the Depression, he is able to bring luxuries home for the family and is always home in time to take care of the paperwork, place orders, and spend time with his family.

As she and the twins are preparing supper for Warren's return from his latest business trip, they hear a wagon pulling up. She is stunned when a deputy explains to her that Warren and his wife have both passed away, and that Warren's final instructions were for their 3 young children to be raised by "Aunt Neva." An orphan herself, she can't make them go to an orphanage, but can she daily face the evidence of her husband's deceit...and protect her family from the shame of Warren's betrayal? 

 

Based on true events from Sawyer’s family history, Room for Hope is a beautiful story of God’s powerful redemptive work in the midst of struggle, betrayal, and heartbreak.

 

My Review: I always enjoy Kim's books, but there was just something special about this one that drew me in from the beginning and held my interest captive. Times and attitudes have changed over the past 80 years, and I appreciated that she was not presenting a story through modern eyes, but kept in character with reactions that would be typical of the 1930s. Neva was also a strong woman of great character who wanted to do the "right" thing, but did some more out of obedience rather than genuine love. A great reminder that obeying God, even when you don't feel like it, can and will create a change of heart when you allow Him to mold it despite your own stubbornness and pride. Her twins reflected more extreme attitudes with Belle being accepting and willing to love and Bud being angry and resentful about the changes in their life.

The characters evolved along the way and not everyone changed along a predictable pattern. Several times throughout the book, I would think, "No, that's not the direction you should be heading!", but the added layers and changing attitudes were exactly what the book needed. A wise reminder that people can change and that things are not always what they seem. The characters also became people I cared about and I hated to come to the end of the book. The end was satisfying, but I was still left thinking, "What happened next? Tell me more!"

I highly recommend this book to lovers of both historical fiction and those who love to see lives transformed when surrendered to God.

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my participation in the blog tour by WaterBrook-Multnomah.

GIVEAWAY: Two readers (USA & Canada only) can win copies of Room For Hope by leaving a comment. Deadline to enter is Midnight, Sunday, March 6, 2016.

Rasmus and the Vagabond

After running away from an orphanage, nine-year-old Rasmus finds the world a cold and unfriendly place until he befriends an extraordinary tramp called Paradise Oscar. Together they meet more adventure than they ever imagined, solve a mystery, and catch the culprits. Rasmus dreams of finding a family and a home someday. But when he does, will he be able to part with his new friend and life on the road? 

My Review: How did I miss this one when I was growing up? I remember loving Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking books, but can't remember if I read others by her. So, it was due to those memories that I agreed to review Rasmus and the Vagabond. No doubt this is a piece of classic children's literature and I am so happy I can now say I read it.

The characters are intriguing and the story captured me immediately. There are elements of suspense, comedy, hope, heartbreak, and adventure to keep readers of any age enthralled and to ignite the imagination. There are also great character traits displayed, along with the innocent mischief any child is apt to get into. This was a satisfying read from beginning to end and one that needs to stay in print for future generations.

I was provided with a free copy from Handlebar Marketing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Dauntless by Dina L. Sleiman

Born a baron's daughter, Lady Merry Ellison is now an enemy of the throne after her father's failed assassination attempt upon the king. Bold and uniquely skilled, she is willing to go to any lengths to protect the orphaned children of her former village--a group that becomes known as "The Ghosts of Farthingale Forest." Merry finds her charge more difficult as their growing notoriety brings increasing trouble their way.

Timothy Grey, ninth child of the Baron of Greyham, longs to perform some feat so legendary that he will rise from obscurity and earn a title of his own. When the Ghosts of Farthingale Forest are spotted in Wyndeshire, where he serves as assistant to the local earl, he might have found his chance. But when he comes face-to-face with the leader of the thieves, he's forced to reexamine everything he's known. (back cover) 

My Review: Dauntless has a strong female heroine as the main character and is a good role model for girls as she takes on responsibilities, puts the needs of others above herself, and overcomes adversity. Since I usually enjoy historical fiction I did have high hopes, but I am not the intended audience for this series. I had not realized that the book was youth fiction, so I did attempt to readjust my thinking as I read. Every now and then when I would get exasperated, I would remind myself that I would have found some of the scenes much more romantic when I was a teen. I was torn between there being a high level of maturity in some areas, and getting frustrated and losing interest in other parts of the book. I did enjoy the faith aspects, and the part it played in decisions made, especially as these children had to break laws to survive. Also, although Merry and Timothy were the main characters, I found Allen to be the most interesting and would have preferred more of his story. Dauntless is the first book in the series Valiant Hearts and does show promise of being a good series for teenagers. For me, the book was 3 stars, but I would probably have put it at 4 stars if I was the appropriate age.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, a division of Baker Publishing, in exchange for an unbiased review.

Mother India

Winner of “Best Short Documentary” at the 2012 San Diego Christian Film Festival, Mother India is a compelling documentary that chronicles the adventure of 25 courageous orphans living as a family along the railway in Tenali, India. Mother India brings to light the struggles faced daily by over 31 million orphans in India and the challenge of rescuing them from a life of begging and addiction.
 
Filmmakers David Trotter (Director/Executive Producer) and Shawn Scheinoha (Executive Producer) went to India with the intention of filming a documentary on the plight of the orphans living on the streets of India, but became involved with a group living in the railway station of Tenali (Andhra Pradesh). “India is growing in both population and industry, but few people know that there are over 31 million orphans in this nation,” commented Trotter. “Each of these young lives is much more than a statistic. Every one of them has a name, a face and a story.” Scheinoha added, “We’re not out to just tell a tragic story. We’re focused on raising awareness and changing lives.” Mother India was filmed from December 29, 2011 to January 8, 2012, and is narrated by Grammy award winner, Rebecca St. James.
 

Mother India on YouTube
Word Films on YouTube
Word Films Facebook
Word Films Twitter
Word Films Website
Mother India Website

Havest India on Facebook

Harvest India Website

We all know about the poverty in India, but this film puts a name and face to those who are suffering in a way I have never really noticed before. As you watch the film, you grow to care about these kids--some are adults now, but that makes it more tragic to realize what they have gone through to survive. During the filming of Mother India, the filmmakers were presented an opportunity to a tour of the Harvest India campus and children’s home in Tenali. Suresh Kumar and his wife, Christina of Harvest India helped expedite matters, but it further heightened my awareness of the complexities involved in helping these children and the glimmer of hope that can be offered. You feel overwhelmed as you watch at the enormity of it all, but even helping one or two can make an impact on those who will need help in the future. It is always better to do something rather than nothing.


This is not a film for young viewers. Some of the topics are drug abuse, sexuality, violence, and HIV/AIDS. You hear children talk of being used for sex, drug use is shown, and wounds from abuse. Nor is this a film aimed only at a Christian audience, but is intended to bring awareness to all about the plight of these kids. If your family, church, or organization are wanting to be involved with a ministry, watch this film and you will realize the needs to be met. 

Purchase DVD here
 - Spread the word.
- Sponsor a child.
- Serve with organizations who are helping orphans in India.

I received this movie free from Word Films as part of their Blogger Review Program, via Blogger Gateway. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."



I received this movie free from Word Films as part of their Blogger Review Program, via Blogger Gateway. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." .

Hope For AIDS Orphans

 This is a week that has many activities and remembrances of The Sanctity Of Life. While more areas of concentration are centered on the appalling fact of abortion, I also want to speak on the subject of the rights of those children who have been left orphaned due to AIDS. Many of these orphans  live in areas that are considered Third World countries. Their lives are already filled with hunger: They hunger for food to fill their empty bellies, they hunger for the spiritual truth that there is a God who loves them, and they hunger for the touch of a parent who loves them. Hope For AIDS Orphans is an outreach of Cross International, a Christian relief and development charity based in Florida. This ministry provides food, shelter, education, and meets medical needs to some of the poorest in dozens of countries.

I know that it is easy to get overwhelmed with all of the needs in the world, especially when you are struggling with meeting those within your own family, but there are more ways than one to help. Please check out the Hope For Aids Orphans website to see the 3 ways listed  that people can help Express Care, Share Their Story, and Give Hope. 

 For the fatherless receives compassion in You. - Hosea 14:3 
We are here to do serve others as we would serve Him. Even if you cannot make the difference the the lives of many, perhaps you can make the difference in the life of one child.

"Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion for the world is to look out; yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now." ~Saint Teresa of Avila

 

 

Click here for Cross International on Facebook.