Books for Children
(Ages 8-12)
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A CRY IN THE DARK Merry Hanson is on her guard when a suspicious-looking pickup is spotted scouting her neighborhood. Why is the stranger so interested in SummerHill? Then at dusk the rusty old truck returns, and Merry overhears an argument that leaves her even more concerned. But by the time she rushes outside to investigate, the truck and its passengers have disappeared into the night. Haunted by what she has heard, Merry searches the area—and discovers an abandoned baby girl! A note tucked inside her basket begs the finder to care for her. Merry is convinced the little girl is an answer to prayer, but can she persuade her parents to adopt baby Charity? |
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HOUSE OF SECRETS When Chelsea Davis’s mother disappears, Merry Hanson’s concern for her long-time friend drives her to do some sleuthing. Mrs. David has always dabbled in questionable interests like astrology and mood rings, but Merry never imagined Chelsea’s mother would suddenly vanish! An unsettling poem in Mrs. Davis’s diary leads the pair to search for clues in a rundown shed hidden in the woods near the Davises’ home. But when their investigation turns up evidence of strange religious activity, Merry is more anxious than ever for Mrs. Davis—and the entire Davis family. Is Chelsea’s mother involved in a cult? |
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WHISPERS DOWN THE LANE Merry Hanson doesn’t know which is worse: harboring a runaway or being interrogated by the police. Actually, neither situation is too appealing, but when her friend Lissa shows up at the Hanson house looking bruised and beaten, Merry knows she has to help. When Merry confides in her Amish girlfriend, Rachel Zook, the two devise a daring plan to rescue Lissa—but will they be able to avoid the man who is after her? And will Lissa ever find the peace she so desperately needs? With a runaway in her bedroom and the police out in the woods, Merry is ready for a full-scale panic attack! |
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The Shunning All Her Life She Has Longed For The Forbidden Things, But Will Her Dreams Come At A Price Too Dear To Pay? In the quiet Amish community of Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania, time has stood still while cherished traditions and heartfelt beliefs have flourished. But a secret lies buried that could shatter the tranquility its inhabitants have grown to love. When Katie Lapp stumbles upon a satin infant gown in the dusty leather trunk of her parents’ attic, she knows it holds a story she must discover. Why else would her Amish mother, a plain and simple woman who embraces the Old Order laws, hide the beautiful baby dress in the attic? On the eve of Katie’s wedding to widower Bishop John, startling
news staggers out of her anguished parents, and nothing prepares Katie
for the devastation their confession brings. Feeling betrayed, Katie
watches as the only life she has ever known begins to unravel, leaving
in its wake a furrow of pain…and a future of hope. |
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The Confession Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman who questioned the strict rules of her upbringing and even her own identity, has been shunned from her Amish community. Katie—now known as Katherine Mayfield—sets out to find her birth mother—and a life—she has never known. Her birth mother is seriously ill and Katie must struggle to find
her—and prove her own identity—before it’s too late.
But in the world of electric lights, telephones, and "fancy"
things, Katie stumbles into a web of greed and betrayal where the
garb of the Amish is misused to disguise an evil conspiracy. Meanwhile,
unknown to Katherine, her long-lost love, Daniel, has returned to
the Amish community to find her. Can they ever be together again?
Find out in The Confession. |
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The Reckoning Katherine Mayfield, the new Mistress of Mayfield Manor, always dreamed of a fancy "English" life. But as the seasons pass, she finds herself grieving the loss of her Amish family and dearest friend, Mary Stolzfus. Shunned from the Plain life she once knew, Katherine finds solace in volunteer work with hospice patients—a labor of love she hopes will bring honor to the memory of her birth mother. Unknown to Katherine, her long-lost love, Daniel Fisher, is desperate to locate his "Sweetheart girl," only to be frustrated at nearly every turn. Meanwhile, she delights in the modern world—once forbidden—cherishing the attention of Justin Wirth, her handsome suitor. Her childhood entwined with Daniel's, yet her present life far removed
from Lancaster County, Katherine longs for the peace that reigned
in her mother's heart. And once again, she is compelled to face the
heritage of her past. |
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The Covenant Beverly Lewis Does it Again! Following such bestsellers as The Shunning and The Postcard, Beverly Lewis's explosive new novel, The Covenant, unveils the layers of deeply rooted Amish tradition as seen through the eyes of Leah and Sadie Ebersol, two courting-age sisters. The Power of Family, the Miracle of Hope
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The Postcard Rachel Yoder, a New Order Amish woman, lost her husband and son in a tragic accident two years ago. Now, returning to her aging parents with her young daughter, she has resigned herself to the life of a widow. With a subdued but cheerful heart she helps her family run a bed-and-breakfast in a quaint Lancaster county town. Philip Bradley, a world-weary journalist from New York City on assignment in Lancaster to write an article on the Amish community, is a lodger at the Yoder’s B&B. A chance discovery by Philip of a postcard written in illegible Pennsylvania Dutch in the dresser of his room sets off a series of events that leads him into the heart of the Amish life and to the bedside of a mysterious woman known as "The Storyteller." With the postcard as a link to a haunted past, the woman gradually weaves a riveting tale as old as herself about a community shuttered in secrecy, shattered by betrayal. Fascinated by the story, Philip’s and Rachel’s lives become
inevitably intertwined despite the attempts of the community to protect
her from the outsider. Torn by devotion to the people she loves and
the awakening feelings in her heart, Rachel searches her past to restore
old wounds in order than new love might grow. |
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The Crossroad A Captivating Tale Set After the dramatic conclusion to his discovery of a long-lost postcard, journalist Philip Bradley simply cannot forget the Amish people he met while on assignment in Pennsylvania—particularly Rachel Yoder and her young daughter, Annie. Rachel’s cheerful outlook, in spite of her blindness, and her appealing, uncomplicated lifestyle beckon Philip amid the high-paced existence of his New York career. Philip’s newfound knowledge of the true reason for Rachel’s loss of sight spurs him on to uncover what he can about the possibility for a cure. In Lancaster County, Rachel has her own ideas about the way her vision might be restored, and it doesn’t include the local healer and his black box. Now, Rachel firmly believes the God she serves is the only One who can grant her sight, but as the memories of the trauma she suffered begin to resurface, Rachel questions whether she can bear the agonizing road to recovery. Drawn back to Lancaster County over the Christmas holidays, Philip
struggles with the vast gulf separating him from the beautiful Plain
woman. Rachel has suffered unbearable heartache; will his growing
affection for her only bring more of the same? Or must Philip and
Rachel sacrifice a future together for the sake of all they know and
love? |
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The Redemption of Sarah Cain Lydia Cottrell, eldest of five Amish orphans, made a promise to her dying mother to "keep the family together." But soon she discovers that guardianship has been granted to a virtual stranger—a well-to-do aunt from Portland, Oregon, who cares little for Mamma’s last wish. Lydia’s struggle to keep the promise may cost her the loss of "the sweetest, kindest, and most handsome Plain boy in all of Lancaster County"—Levi King. A thoroughly modern young woman, Sarah Cain had ridiculed her sister’s choice of a Plain life-style, which served only to intensify the lifelong rift between them. Now, twelve years later, Sarah is stunned by news of her sister’s death and baffled by Ivy's choice of a guardian. How can Sarah sacrifice her successful career and a life she enjoys to raise five Amish orphans? And what of Bryan Ford, the man in her life? Upon her arrival in Lancaster County, Sarah holds a grief all her
own—one very different from the suffering of her nieces and nephews.
Can the sorrow that divides them ultimately unite the new family?
Will Sarah discover that Lancaster County's Amish community is not
only a simpler place, but also a healing place? |
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Sanctuary She Prayed This Day Would Never Come Trembling, Melissa James returned the phone to its cradle and hurried to the stairs. She grasped the railing, nearly stumbling as she made her way to the second-floor bedroom. Her heart caught in her throat as she considered the next move. Her only option. You can do this, she told herself, stifling a sob. You must...
Compelling and inspiring, Sanctuary is a harrowing love story of
the power behind revenge, the price for freedom, and the solace found
in friendship. It portrays characters both tender and flawed whose
search for meaning bring them to a moment of shocking and profound
truth. |
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Just Like Mama A Charming Look at the Daily Life of the Amish “Aunt Martha says I look just like Mama!” Susie Mae boasted. Thomas looked her over and scratched his head. “Well, you may look like Mama, but I doubt you can keep up with her all day.” Susie Mae straightened her apron. “Ach, we’ll just see about that…starting tomorrow!” Susie Mae wants nothing more than to be “just like” her
own lovely and accomplished Mama. One day, she sets out to prove to
her brother Thomas and herself that she is ready to do exactly that!
From taking on the morning milking to egg gathering and berry picking,
Susie Mae tackles all of Mama’s daily tasks with gently amusing
and genuinely touching results. A wonderful book mothers and daughters
of all ages can enjoy, Just Like Mama ultimately encourages everyone
to be “just like the Lord Jesus.” |
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