A Book Review from Books At a Glance
by Kristin Stiles
Simonetta Carr has added another delightful title to her Christian Biographies for Young Readers series. Carr introduces many of us for the first time to Anne Bradstreet, a Christian poet who lived in the 17th century and endured the many perils, sorrows, and challenges faced by the Puritans leaving England in search of religious freedom in America.
There have been many biographies of colonial Americans settling the New World, but the story of Anne Bradstreet stands out for the following reasons. First of all, much of what we know about Anne comes from her own pen in the form of her poetry, letters, and journal entries. We get an intimate look into her life and her thoughts and emotions as she experienced all these ups and downs in life. Second, through her writings, Anne provides a profound commentary on suffering and the Christian’s response to it. Her poem “Upon the Burning of Our House” is heartbreaking in the cataloging of all that she’s lost and yet incredibly uplifting in her trust in God and her hope of eternal joy and reward that cannot ever be lost.
As is typical of all the books in this series, the story telling is very interesting and interspersed with historical information and beautiful illustrations. Maps and photographs are included which help the reader better understand the locations mentioned. At the end of the book is a “Did You Know?” section which includes more than a dozen fascinating details about Anne’s life, family, and culture. I always look forward to reading this section at the end of Carr’s biographies.
I appreciate that Carr has added Anne Bradstreet to her series. Anne wasn’t a missionary or a nurse or involved in any number of other “professions” that we would deem worthy of a biography. Anne was mostly a wife and stay at home mother who recorded her thoughts and emotions in ink. She used her God-given talents to teach and encourage her children and, ultimately, a larger audience. This is an important lesson for our children. They do not need to go into full-time ministry or some other kind of full-time service to have gospel impact or a godly influence on their families and communities. They can learn the lessons shared by Anne Bradstreet and pass them on to the next generation in their own homes.
Kristin Stiles is a home-school mom, a Sunday School teacher, and helps lead the “Young, Reading, & Reformed” children’s ministry at Reformed Baptist Church of Franconia, PA.