The Adventures Series from Christian Focus (not to be confused with the books by Willard Price) is fairly unique among character-building reading for elementary students. Each book centers on a geographical area (Cambodia, New York City, the Great Barrier Reef) and offers chapter-by-chapter descriptions of the region's physical terrain, history, plant and animal life, and climate, explicitly relating everything to the Christian faith, doctrine, and personal piety.

A variety of authors have contributed to the series, but the quality of writing, information, and Christian application remains strong throughout. Texts are approachable and illustrated in black and white, making them ideal for younger readers, though adolescents are likely to enjoy them as well. The fact that each book is entertaining, faith-building and highly educational makes these hard to beat, either as a science or geography supplement, or for your kids' personal devotions.

There are currently 13 volumes in the Adventures Series covering every habited continent. Because chapters are short and easy to read, this makes a great read-aloud for families; while there are no questions included in the text, parents can easily lead discussions based on what is read. Intermediate readers can also read these aloud for practice, though they may need help with the often difficult-to-pronounce place names. Overall, this is an excellent series on a variety of levels, and we hope to see more published in the near future.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.