EFR REVIEWS

ANN GABHART *As far as I know, these are the only two in the FNS series so far, but feel free to let me know  if there are, in fact, others.   Francine Howard has her life all mapped out until the soldier she planned to marry at WWII's end writes to tell her he's in love with a woman in England. Devastated, Francine seeks a fresh start in the Appalachian Mountains, training to be a nurse midwife for the Frontier Nursing Service.  Deeply affected by the horrors he witnessed at war, Ben Locke has never thought further ahead than making it home to Kentucky. His future shrouded in as much mist as his beloved mountains, he's at a loss when it comes to envisioning what's next for his life.  When Francine's and Ben's paths intersect, it's immediately clear that they are from different worlds and value different things. But love has a way of healing old wounds . . . and revealing tantalizing new possibilities. ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ In the summer of 1945, wanting to distance her...

GOOD MAN One look at our cultural moment and it's easy to tell that men and their identities are in crisis. Though lost and fractured, men face the pressure to be perfect. Our reactionary society is quick to condemn and slow to forgive, leaving men more confused than ever about how to live and who to be. Yet in Scripture, we continually find God choosing to work in and through flawed, imperfect, and broken individuals. Men who had massive character flaws and significant moral failings, but who also shared one important characteristic: the desire to follow the call of their Creator.  With engaging personal stories and insight into biblical truths, Nathan Clarkson declares to today's man that he is more than what the culture is telling him he is--angry, selfish, predatory, violent, and bored. Instead, still on the journey himself, Nathan calls today's man to find his identity in the One who created him on purpose, for a purpose, and encourages him to live an honest, authentic...

Mapmaker & The Ghost Goldenrod Moram loves adventure, especially when it comes in the form of mapmaking. An avid fan of the legendary explorers Lewis and Clark, she decides to start her own exploring team, the Legendary Adventurers, and to spend her summer vacation discovering the unmapped forest right behind her home. This simple task is complicated by a series of unique events-a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another, more unfortunate, encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag bunch of nicknamed ruffians. Throw in the trapped spirit of Meriwether Lewis himself and her well-meaning but nuisance of a little brother, and Goldenrod Moram is in for the quest of a lifetime . . . ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Adventure-loving Goldenrod Moram has a passion for cartography, an interest she shares with best friend Charla. Goldenrod is feeling pretty stuck in life once summer arrives. Charla's family has moved a state away and Goldenrod is groun...

SMILE TRILOGY Smile The true story of how Raina severely injured her two front teeth when she was in the sixth grade, and the dental drama that followed! Sisters Raina can't wait to be a big sister. Amara is cute, but she's also cranky and mostly prefers to play by herself. Their relationship doesn't improve much over the years... can they figure out how to get along? Guts Raina has tummy trouble, and it seems to coincide with her worries about food, school, family, and changing friendships. A thoughtful, charming, and funny true story about growing up and gathering the courage to face -- and eventually conquer -- fear. ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ In this graphic memoir set in the early 90s in San Francisco, author Raina Telgemeier illustrates herself as a 6th grader who takes a bad fall (courtesy of a friend not paying attention) during a Girl Scouts meet-up one night. Raina ends up with two severely damaged front teeth. While her mom had been discussing the possibility of braces prior to t...