Grit and Grace: Heroic Women of the Bible

Reviewed by:

Jarm Del Boccio

REVIEW INTRODUCTION

Title:

Grit and Grace: Heroic Women of the Bible

Author:

Caryn Rivadeneira

Publisher:

Spark House (imprint of Beaming Books)

Date:

2017

Format:

Paperback

Length:

127 pages

OVERVIEW

Strong women characters are a popular topic these days, but this devotional for middle-grade girls brings it to a new level since the characters are real women who lived in Bible times. With a true middle-grade voice, the author brings their stories to life, covering more well-known characters like Rahab and Ruth and not-so-well-known women like Dorcas and Leah. These devotionals bring to light their struggles, sins, triumphs and joys in a short text, then asks a few questions regarding the reader’s possible reactions to the stories, along with a suggested prayer. Extra side bar information round out each section, making the experience thought-provoking for girls. Although some questions could be more specific or clear, on the whole, this book is appropriate for all young girls who want to have a deeper understanding of themselves in relation to the women of Scripture.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5):

4

Suggested Audience:

Middle-grade girls

Christian Impact:

Young girls can relate to the women of the Bible better, having understood their story at a deeper level.

Other Notes:

Jarm’s Bio: Jarm (‘J’ pronounced as a ‘Y’) Del Boccio finds her inspiration in everyday life, but in particular, when she travels the globe, observing quirky things that happen along the way. Focusing on lives from the past, Jarm is devoted to breathing new life into the pages of history, offering her young readers hope, heart, and a real-life hero.

Jarm taught kindergarten and high school, served as school librarian, and nannied for two years. But her greatest challenge was educating three missionary children in an isolated bush village in Papua New Guinea, without the benefit of modern conveniences.

Jarm is content with the journey God has placed her on, and lives with her family in a tree-lined suburb of Chicago. Her award-winning middle-grade historical fiction, The Heart Changer released with Ambassador International in 2019. You can connect with her at her website: http://www.jarmdelboccio.com/