Let me preface this post by saying that it is completely off-the-cuff. I do not have a children’s classic that I have recently read about which I can write (aside from the various read-alouds that we do together at the House of Hope, but of course, those already have posts dedicated to them). Instead, then, I am taking a stroll down memory lane to my own childhood and posting about an author whose books I still remember to this day (and I’m ahem approaching what might be called middle age).
I attended a small, private Christian school for a few years in upper elementary school. This gave me exposure to some authors that I probably would have never encountered otherwise. I enjoyed these books so much that I later sought them out, asking for them for Christmas, even ordering some of them myself as a sentimental, book-loving teenager. They still have a place in my home library. What are these books? They are wonderful stories written by Patricia M. St. John. Here are a few of the ones that really stand out in my mind:
Rainbow Garden is the story of lonely Elaine who goes to live with a Welsh family where she finds the true meaning of “fulness of joy.”
Set in North Africa, Star of Light is the story of a boy’s selfless love for his younger, blind sister.
Patricia M. St. John worked as a missionary nurse for many years, so she writes of different countries and cultures with an experienced hand. To my remembrance, each of her books presents a clear gospel message. The characters are very endearing and realistic. While I’m sure these are not children’s classics in the broad sense of the word, I do believe they have a prominent place in the sub-genre of children’s Christian fiction.
In writing this post, I have rekindled a long-dormant interest in these books. I think I might skim over one of these to determine if it is suitable for a future read-aloud for my own girls.
Do you want to read about more children’s classics? Pop over to the Children’s Classics carnival at 5 Minutes for Books!
**Please note that the books linked here from Amazon are abridged versions, and I cannot speak for them.
***Also please note that I tried and tried in vain to reformat this post so that the books are not arranged in stair-steps. Forgive me.
Filed under: Bookish Thoughts, Christian Fiction, Juvenile Fiction |
Hope Is the Word 
These sound awesome! Thank you!
And the stair step is cute.
The stair step works!
I enjoyed hearing about these books that you remember having grown up with. That’s fabulous.
Thanks for sharing!
These look like books I would have loved as a child. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks for sharing these books. I’ve never read them but I can see how you would become so attached. The stairsteps worked for me. As I was reading I was thinking how clever they looked.
I’ve never heard of these books! Thanks for sharing. Thanks for stopping by.
I read Patricia St. John as a girl, but had forgotten about them. My 3 girls are 5, 3 and 2 and I have just started introducing them to some of my favorite books from childhood – Anne of Green Gables, Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – I will add these to my reading list with them, thanks for the reminder.
These look good – I’m always looking for book ideas for my 11yo niece. Thanks!