I’ve reviewed some of the biographies in the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series, and this is another great addition. These books make important figures in church history very accessible to young readers. I also appreciate the author’s honesty about their failings, such as Luther’s anti-semitic writings, briefly mentioned in “Did You Know?”. We should honor the saints of old but recognize that they were fallible human beings in need of a Savior, too.

Martin Luther by Simonetta Carr, illustrations by Troy Howell, Reformation Heritage Books, 2016, 32 pages. For ages 7-12.

I was wondering if Simonetta Carr would write a children’s biography on Martin Luther, and she has! And it’s just in time for the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation next year.

This book traces Luther’s life from his student days to becoming a monk, his pivotal role in the Protestant Reformation, and the subsequent years until his death. The author demonstrates her skill, once again, in being able to take a well-known figure in church history and condense his story so that it is appealing and understandable to the target audience. Beautiful illustrations and photographs augment the text and add visual interest. The book also includes a “Did You Know?” section containing interesting facts, a timeline of Luther’s life, and excerpts from his small catechism.

I’ve reviewed some of the biographies in the Christian Biographies for Young Readers series, and this is another great addition. These books make important figures in church history very accessible to young readers. I also appreciate the author’s honesty about their failings, such as Luther’s anti-semitic writings, briefly mentioned in “Did You Know?”. We should honor the saints of old but recognize that they were fallible human beings in need of a Savior, too.

I highly recommend Martin Luther and the whole series. I will be adding my review copy to my church library. Someone is already waiting to check it out.

I received a copy of this book from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review.

Persis Lorenti is an ordinary Christian. You can find her at Tried With Fire and Out of the Ordinary. This article appeared on her blog and is used with permission.