_ R my name is Rachel
by Patricia Reilly Giff

Publisher's Note:  Rachel, Cassie, and Joey live in the city with their Pop, until Pop's search for work lands the family on a run down farm. Dreamy Rachel loves to read, and doesn't know much about the country. Times are hard there, too—the school and library are closed.  When Pop gets work near Canada, he has to leave the children on the farm alone. For two months! But Rachel's the oldest, and she'll make sure they're all right. Somehow.
 
Overall Review: In R my name is Rachel, award-winning author Patricia Reilly Giff delivers a delightful and touching story about life during the Great Depression. Twelve-year-old Rachel adores life in the city. She shines at school and loves to read and write letters -- she’s even planning to write a letter congratulating Babe Ruth on hitting so many home runs! The bits of history that were sprinkled throughout these pages were charming. I loved that popular books and songs of the period, as well as presidents, were all woven into the story.

As the Depression changes everything, Rachel and her two siblings are suddenly alone on a dilapidated farm. Rachel steps up to the challenge and proves she is a one-in-a-million character. She’s charming and optimistic, not afraid of hard work and wise beyond her years. Rachel’s perseverance during difficult times is nothing short of inspiring. Her honest narrations offer a realistic view of how life during the Depression must have been. With similar economic times today, the novel’s message of hope and love will resonate with readers of any age. Lovable characters and a heartwarming plot make R my name is Rachela real winner. Overall rating is 5 out of 5 stars!

Content Review:
PROFANITY: none

VIOLENCE: none

SEXUAL CONTENT: none

MATURE THEMES: mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 9+

There is no profanity, violence or sexual content in this book.

There are several mature themes that deal with life during the Great Depression; however, they are approached mildly and from a twelve-year-old’s perspective.  These themes include the consequences of a parent losing a job, financial hardship and emotional stress, moving, and living without parents.

R my name is Rachel is a fantastic Squeaky Clean Read recommended for all ages!

_This review was written by Rachel.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Wendy Lamb an imprint of Random House Children's Publishing for a review.

_ The Lightkeeper’s Ball
Colleen Coble

Publisher's Note:  At the elegant Mercy Falls masquerade ball, Olivia's hidden identity will be revealed.

It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred-those considered the wealthiest and most distinquished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests upon the Stewart daughters' marrying well.

Olivia's sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation's wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor's fiance. Using her family's long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor's death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be.

When Mercy Falls holds a charity masquerade ball to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets-and truths long hidden-will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he finds her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing-not money, family, or romance-will ever compare to God's unconditional love?

Overall Review: Though heralded as a romance, The Lightkeeper’s Ball has something for everyone. Author Colleen Coble masterfully weaves actual historical tidbits into the novel (the likes of Haley’s comet, the first airplanes and women’s rights), which enrich the plot and make for an engaging read. The hair-raising adventures and enchanting romance between the main characters, Olivia and Harrison, will delight and captivate. My only wish is that the narrative was more even-paced; the events in the book’s first half struck with lightning speed while the latter portion slowed considerably.

While love blossoms between characters, circumstances around town grow downright mysterious. Murder, mayhem and secrets envelope the town’s occupants - and that’s only within the first few chapters! With multiple plot twists, readers will have difficulty trying to discover “whodunit”. In fact, this is one mystery that will keep readers in suspense until the very end. For an outstanding blend of intrigue and passion, pick up The Lightkeeper’s Ball. Overall rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars!

  Content Review:
PROFANITY: none 

VIOLENCE: moderate

SEXUAL CONTENT: moderate

MATURE THEMES: moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 18+

The Lightkeeper’s Ball is a Christian romance, so it is fairly conservative compared to most romance novels. There is no profanity.

Violence events include the mention of a death by drowning. A character is pushed off a cliff in a murder attempt. Two characters are tied up and left in a burning building; they are subsequently rescued but have injuries that are not graphically described. A character physically struggles against unknown attackers.

Sexual content includes one incident of passionate kissing. A character mentions finding an unmarried couple in bed together. There is frequent talk of a character’s infidelity, which results in an illegitimate child. An engaged character has innocent wonderings about the “bedroom side of marriage”. This topic is approached from a religious standpoint.

Mature themes include love, revenge, murder, and betrayal.

Due to moderate instances of violence, sexual content and mature themes, The Lightkeeper’s Ball is recommended for ages 18+!

_This review was written by Rachel.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Thomas Nelson Publishing for a review.

_Lily's Crossing
by Patricia Reilly Giff

Publisher's Note:  When Lily meets Albert, a refugee from Hungary, during the summer of 1944, they begin a special friendship. However, Lily and Albert have both told lies, and Lily has told a lie that may cost Albert his life.

Overall Review:  Lily’s Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff is a beautiful tale of a young girl’s experiences one summer during World War II.  Giff has a great talent for making the characters in her stories feel very authentic and personable, and this tale is no exception.  Giff introduces us to Lily: a girl who is still a child, but just beginning to understand the world around her—a world with hard truths in the midst of war and loss.  And yet, in the midst of all the confusion and heartache, she is able to find a true friend and the world somehow becomes a better place.  The emotions that Lily experiences in describing a mother who died when she was young, a beloved father going off to war, and strained relationship with a grandmother who Lily perhaps resents for not being her mother are so honest and raw that it feels as though Giff is writing this story from a very personal place.  The reader can easily identify with the anger Lily feels at yet another loved one leaving her, as well as the guilt and pain she feels as she runs desperately after the train to try to wave good-bye to her father—realizing that her love for her father is so much more than the anger and sorrow.  The story of friendship blossoming between Lily and Albert is poignant and precious as two children learn to trust each other and find peace in sharing their fears and sorrows, instead of using the forced bravado that has governed so much of their lives and kept them alone.  This is an insightful and lovely story that brings both the pain of World War II and the innocence and shelter of childhood to life at the same time, in a way that only Giff can do.  The Newberry Honor for this book is well earned.  Overall Rating 5 out of 5 stars!
 
 Content Review:
 
VIOLENCE: Very Mild instances
 
PROFANITY: None
 
SEXUAL CONTENT: None
 
MATURE THEMES:  Mild Instance
 
Instances of violence are labeled as such in only the most scrupulous terms as the story describes a storm and rescue, and references to the War and Albert’s lost family in Hungary. 

There was no profanity or sexual content.

Mature themes have again to do with references to World War II, but are again labeled scrupulously.  References are very basic and appropriate for any age—especially those 9 and older who should be learning about such integral events in our history. 

Lily's Crossing is a Squeaky Clean Read for ages 9+!

_This review was written by Kristen.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House Children's  for a review

A Sound Among the Trees
by Susan Meissner

Publisher’s Note: As a young bride, Susannah Page was rumored to be a Civil War spy for the North, a traitor to her Virginian roots. Her great-granddaughter Adelaide, the current matriarch of Holly Oak, doesn’t believe that Susannah’s ghost haunts the antebellum mansion looking for a pardon, but rather the house itself bears a grudge toward its tragic past.

When Marielle Bishop marries into the family and is transplanted from the arid west to her husband’s home, it isn’t long before she is led to believe that the house she just settled into brings misfortune to the women who live there.

With Adelaide’s richly peppered superstitions and deep family roots at stake, Marielle must sort out the truth about Susannah Page and Holly Oak— and make peace with the sacrifices she has made for love. 

Overall Review: It is so difficult to begin new life with someone.  If you add to that that the someone you just married is a widower with children, then it gets even more complicated.  To add to that mix, you’ll be living in the house where the new husband’s first wife grew up…and with her grandmother who raised her!  AND, there seems to be something wrong with the house itself!  Does the house really bear a grudge against the family? Is it haunted? Or is there something else going on?  It is most definitely time to find out and to fix it!  These families need to move on!

While the ‘contemporary’ section was good (the story was interesting and the characters fairly engaging) the historical section (written entirely in letter form) was FANTASTIC!!  Once again, Ms. Meissner proves her prowess at historical fiction!  The characters were marvelous, the descriptions and details were perfect…I loved it!  It amazed me how both sections were completely different!  There was a totally different feel between the family living in the ‘present’, and the people during the Civil War time period.  The way she portrays the hardships of the war, of helping people, and the acts of unselfishness and love, were just beautiful!  If you are an historical fiction buff, or enjoy reading about the U.S. Civil War (with, of course, a little romance thrown in for good measure), then A Sound Among the Trees could be your cup of tea!  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild and some Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: A few Mild instances and one Moderate instance

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few Mild instances

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

AGE RECOMMENDATION: 18+

There were a few mild instances of profanity (seven noted; mostly religious in nature) along with some more Moderate exclamations (17 were counted altogether).

The violence mostly centers around the historical section of the book, as it takes place during the civil war.  The Moderate instance occurs during a terrible battle in Fredericksburg, VA, where the entire town is leveled and the narrator describes the feelings and sounds and mentions seeing copious amounts of blood in the streets and lamenting the life lost.  There are also more mild instances, such as when stories of the war are told, and also when characters show up gravely injured or in prison.

The sexual content is mild.  There is one mention of a newly married couple needing privacy (more so than being in the room next to another family member), and one instance where a character mentions that after sex with her new husband, she wonders what he is thinking.

The Mature Themes are mostly all moderate.  There is the hardship of meshing two separate families together (with new marriages, etc.), loss of family members (death and leaving), supernatural occurrences and beliefs (there is a spiritual ‘medium’ involved), superstition, paranoia, secrets, mental illness, and war.  Other themes also include forgiveness, resilience, and courage.

A Sound Among the Trees is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 18+!

My Ántonia
by Willa Cather

Publisher’s Note: Widely recognized as Willa Cather’s greatest novel, My Ántonia is a soulful and rich portrait of a pioneer woman’s simple yet heroic life. The spirited daughter of Bohemian immigrants, Ántonia must adapt to a hard existence on the desolate prairies of the Midwest. Enduring childhood poverty, teenage seduction, and family tragedy, she eventually becomes a wife and mother on a Nebraska farm. A fictional record of how women helped forge the communities that formed a nation, My Ántonia is also a hauntingly eloquent celebration of the strength, courage, and spirit of America’s early pioneers.

Overall Review:  My Ántonia is a portrait of a life well lived that begins in early childhood and moves all the way through adulthood—with all the foibles and mishaps in between.  What a beautiful, lovely, rambling narrative of the ‘old’ West!  Life in the early settlements was so difficult.  There were many dangers known and unknown, such as snakes and wild animals, devastatingly cold and brutal winters, loneliness, depression, accidents and amputations—many times without the aid of hospitals, doctors or medicines!  Throw into that mix a brand new country with a language you don’t understand and you have the makings of some pretty desperate circumstances!  I loved when the narrator talked of reading Swiss Family Robinson, or Robinson Crusoe, and complaining that they were very dull compared to his real life experiences!  Regardless of the harsh circumstances, however, the focus truly remains on the joys of life and the wonder of the experiences of childhood.  We see what it means to be a true friend and neighbor.  We feel the power of forgiveness.  We explore the beauty of the land through each season as the world turns.  We enjoy the simple pleasures of life.  The simplicity of this novel is refreshing, yet the meaning is complex and all-encompassing.  Life passes us by, with all its ups and downs laid out before us, and while the narrative is simple and naïve, we are swept away in its beauty and grandeur.  Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 Stars!

Content Review:

PROFANITY: A few Mild to Moderate instances

VIOLENCE: A few Mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: A few Moderate instances

MATURE THEMES: Mild to Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 18+

There are a few instances of mild profanity (mostly giving thanks), and a few more moderate exclamations in keeping with the time period (I only noted four).

The Violence stays mostly mild just because there is hardly any description on any of the following circumstances:  People are attacked and eaten by wolves (it is not gory—sad, but not descriptive); there are two instances of suicide (someone shoots himself, another jumps in a threshing machine); a character chases another through a field with a knife (trying to keep her away from her husband); a character kills his wife, then mortally wounds himself—hoping he’d be found so he could outlive his wife and her family wouldn’t inherit his land and money (morbidly funny).  It is all well done without shocking or gory details, but adds to the starkness and harshness of life portrayed in the story.  A character is beaten when he is mistaken for someone else.  There is also some slapping, yelling, and general unkindness at times.

The Sexual content is moderate because of the subject matter at times.  While we are spared intimate details, the ideas are still there.  A character is purported to have many relations with women other than his wife.  This same character is caught sneaking into his maids’ quarters (the maid isn’t there, and he’s surprised to find a man there instead, since the maid was afraid and asked for help) with intent to do something… There are many allusions to babies coming out of wedlock, but no details.  A character goes to be with her fiancé, supposedly in order to marry him, but she finds that he doesn’t actually want to marry her and he runs off, leaving her pregnant and without a husband.  There is some ‘frivolous’ kissing when the characters are teenagers.

The Mature Themes are mostly mild and center around the difficulties of life during the early settler days, which include death, prejudice, wicked people trying to cheat others, surviving harsh living conditions (including poverty and weather), and adapting to new cultures. 

My Ántonia is recommended as a Clean Read for ages 18+!

Death Cloud
by Andrew Lane
 
Publisher's Note:  It is the summer of 1868, and Sherlock Holmes is fourteen. On break from boarding school, he is staying with eccentric strangers—his uncle and aunt—in their vast house in Hampshire. When two local people die from symptoms that resemble the plague, Holmes begins to investigate what really killed them, helped by his new tutor, an American named Amyus Crowe. So begins Sherlock’s true education in detection, as he discovers the dastardly crimes of a brilliantly sinister villain of exquisitely malign intent.


Overall Review:  In the fabulously titled Death Cloud, Andrew Lane introduces the reader to a fourteen year-old Sherlock Holmes, who is yet to discover or develop his legendary skills of logic and deduction.  A thin and somewhat stilted beginning with an unlikely set-up of the meeting of Sherlock and a friend, Matthew Arnatt, coupled with some character inconsistency hamper the first fifty pages of the text.  However, after that, Lane settles into his narrative which begins to clip along at an increasingly satisfying pace.  Filled with action, rousing chases, and fascinating and bizarre characters, the book nicely accelerates to its climax.  Addressing the early years frees Lane to create fresh villains, who are reminiscent of some of James Bond’s most creative enemies.  Concluding with a set-up for a forth-coming sequel, readers enjoying rapid-paced mystery may look forward to more of the young Sherlock.  Overall Rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
 

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  several mild instances and a few moderate instances

PROFANITY:  three mild instances

SEXUAL CONTENT:  none

MATUIRE THEMES:  none

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:   12+

Violence included the death of a couple of characters, presumably by the plague; encountering a corpse in the woods; a character trying to slit another character’s throat; a character being hit with a boathook resulting in a gash revealing blood and bone; a presumed drowning; a boxing match; torture with a whip; a chase involving shoving, punching, kicking, hitting with a mace; a chase where a man is stabbed and killed; a fire where clothing is ignited; a kidnapping; a sword fight; a fight where a character is knocked unconscious with a helmet; a fight involving a whip; a somewhat gruesome death by inflicted by some insects; a fire and explosion.  

The three instances of profanity were the use of a word in reference to a place or state of being.  The word was not actually used as an exclamation or oath. 

Other content of note was the drugging of two characters with laudanum. 

Death Cloud is recommended as a clean read for ages 12+.

 This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean reads byFarrar, Strauss & Giroux (BYR) for a review

See Content Reviews for Similar Books: 

Yankee Invasion
by Ignacio Solares

Publisher’s Note:  Yankee Invasion centers on one of the most traumatic periods of Mexican history: the 1847 invasion of Mexico City by American armed forces and the ultimate loss of almost half its territory to the United States. Abelardo, who as a young man witnessed the events, narrates the novel and in its very first pages commits an act of resistance that will haunt him the rest of his life. In his old age, he begins to reflect on the history of Mexico, as well as his complicated love affairs with both his fiancée and her mother, which play out against the tumultuous backdrop of the invasion and occupation. Told with humor and pathos, Yankee Invasion paints a riveting portrait of an event that, though little known in America, still reverberates in Mexico today. Vivid descriptions capture the streets, cafés, cantinas, and drawing rooms of 19th-century Mexico City.

Overall Review:  It’s always an interesting experience to read a novel from the point of view of someone who is borderline insane.  Yankee Invasion is very interestingly written, as it alternates between the feeling of a play, a novel, and a research paper written from the point of view of a Mexican in the middle of the invasion.  The novel bounces back and forth between the narrator actually writing his chronicle and having discussions with his wife about it, and the time when he was young and in the grips of fear during the Mexican-American war.  There are even a few chapters written from the perspective of his doctor friend which were very informative.  It took a little while to figure out whether you were reading in the present or the past, but it becomes clearer as you continue on.

I learned a great deal about the history of this war from a very unique perspective.  I sometimes found it difficult to read a book where the point of view was very blatantly anti-American (being an American myself), and there were times where I almost felt harassed by the sheer amount of propaganda that was thrown out.  His tone was often bitter and you feel as if he hates you as you read his words.  On the other hand, it was definitely interesting to see the war from another point of view!  And while his anti-Americanism didn’t entirely leave his psyche, it did taper a bit at the end and it ended on a more positive note.  The experiences he went through were harrowing, to say the least.  I definitely have a better understanding and greater empathy for those people and what they had to endure.

Overall, I felt the whole point of this novel was to inform others about how Mexicans felt (and, I’m sure, still feel) about this war.  It clearly shows the feelings, frustrations and fears of the impotent citizen—while the ‘powers that be’ play their political games with the citizens as their pawns.  Yankee Invasion has a lot to offer in terms of painting a vivid picture and creating an impression that lasts.  Overall rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Content Review:

PROFANITY: Some Moderate and Strong instances

VIOLENCE: Many Moderate to Strong instances

SEXUAL CONTENT: Some Mild to moderate instances and one strong instance

MATURE THEMES: Moderate

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 21+

There is some profanity from every category in this book, from crude language up to 5 uses of the ‘f’-word.  There were many mild and moderate words of the four-letter variety scattered throughout.

Keeping in mind that this novel is based around a persons’ experience of a war, so violence is to be expected.  There is a great deal of detail.  A character is in the middle of a small battle and stabs and kills another while watching many others be killed (trampling, smashing, scratching, stabbing, etc.).  There are a great deal of battles and there are discussions of bombs, cannons, multitudes of people dying, grotesque torture, rape, mutilations, revenge of soldiers.  There are descriptions of people dead and dying throughout—some are very detailed—and there are also animals that are tortured and left for dead.  There are chapters from the point of view of a doctor and he narrates his experiences in the hospitals and battlefields, caring for the wounded and dying people.  The descriptions are graphic: amputations (complete with sawing through the bone), stitching parts back together, large wounds and missing limbs are described as well.  There is a step by step operation of a tumor on a face.  The dead are so numerous they are burned instead of buried—the sight of the burning dead is described in emotional detail.  The descriptions of the dead and dying are very prevalent throughout and become graphic at times.  This is an ugly war mostly between soldiers and common people and consists of guns, swords, knives, cannons, bombs, burnings, rocks, biting, hot oil—basically whatever they can get their hands on.  There are public floggings (large poles are used).

As far as sexual content, much of this story revolves around one character and his loves.  He has a fiancée, but secretly loves her mother more.  His feelings and (mostly one-sided) experiences are discussed at length.  There is a mild scene where he is sitting beside the mother and discusses the feeling of touching her arm and breathing in the same air—the wording is very sensual.  There is a whole chapter dedicated to two characters living together for a time.  This includes a character trying to convince another to sleep with him.  It becomes fairly descriptive and lasts for about 5-6 pages.  There are ‘women of the street’ who provide ‘entertainment’ for soldiers.

The mature themes are moderate and include the politics of war (and its horrible effects on humanity), anti-Americanism/hatred of a group of people, insanity, philosophical ideas, melancholy, betrayal by leaders (realizing that your worst enemy is in your ‘own house’), and death.

Other things of note: There was a visit to a ‘witch doctor’ for herbs/potions, drinking, smoking (drug abuse), unsanitary medical practices (reusing bandages from those whom have already died, not washing utensils/hands), and strange ‘visions’ of the future.

Yankee Invasion is recommended for ages 21+.

This review was written by Emily
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean reads by Scarletta Press for a review

Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis

Publisher's Note:  It's 1936 Flint, Michigan. Times may be hard, and 10-year-old Bud may be a motherless boy, but Bud's got a few things going for him: 1. He has his own suitcase full of special things; 2. He's the author of "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself"; 3. His momma never told him who his father was, but she left a clue: posters of Herman E. Calloway and his band of renown, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. Bud is sure those posters will lead him to his father. Once he decides to hit the road, nothing can stop him, not hunger, not fear, not would-be vampires, not even Herman E. Calloway himself.

 
Overall Review:  A writer who can turn a nice phrase is a craftsman, but an author who slips you inside a character’s skin without you noticing is an artist.  Christopher Paul Curtis is a master artist in the Newbery-awarded Bud, Not Buddy.  Bud, a ten-year old orphan, is perfectly voiced and I liked the kid before I had even finished the second page.  Set in the Great Depression, this book is fabulous historical fiction that manages to escape the traditional darkness portrayed with that era.  This is mainly through the resilience of Bud.  An optimist at heart, Bud has developed an entire set of rules to help him navigate life.  For instance,

Rules and Things Number 16:
If a Grown-up Ever Starts a Sentence by Saying
“Haven’t You Heard,”  Get Ready, ‘Cause
What’s About to Come Out of Their Mouth Is Gonna
Drop You Headfirst into a Boiling Tragedy.

The first-class characterization of the supporting characters contributes further to complete immersion in the story.  Perfectly paced, Bud, Not Buddy nails the ending and suddenly you remember that you have been reading about Bud—not living with him for the past few hours.  Quality fiction that should be used as a touchstone for excellence in children’s literature, Bud, Not Buddy is highly recommended.  Overall Rating is 5 out of 5 stars!
 

Content Review:

VIOLENCE:  two mild instances

PROFANITY:  one mild instance

SEXUAL CONTENT:  one mild

MATURE THEMES:  a few mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP:   9+

Violence consists of a scene where two boys are fighting each other with punches and kicking.  In another scene, some adults cuff a boy several times to give the appearance that the boy is part of their family.

Profanity consists of one mild use of the Lord’s name in vain.

Sexual content consists of a girl kissing a boy.   (He didn’t mind too much because she had dimples.)  In a conversation, a character theorizes in a mild and understated way that a girl may have run “off with the drummer.”  

Mature themes would include the difficulties of the Great Depression and racial discrimination.  However, the heaviness of these themes is mitigated by the good, kind, and helpful people the main character encounters and by the main character’s positive attitude.

Bud, Not Buddy is a Squeaky Clean read for ages 9+.

This review was written by Cindy M.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Laurel Leaf for a review

Beyond All Measure
by Dorothy Love

Publisher's Note: Unless she can trust God's love to cast out her fears, Ada may lose the heart of a good man.   Ada Wentworth, a young Bostonian, journeys to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War.  Alone and nearly penniless following a broken engagement, Ada accepts a position as a lady's companion to the elderly Lillian Willis, a pillar of the community and aunt to the local lumber mill owner, Wyatt Caldwell.  Ada intends to use her millinery skills to establish a hat shop and secure her future.

Haunted by unanswered questions from her life in Boston, Ada is most drawn to two townsfolks: Wyatt, a Texan with big plans of his own, and Sophie, a mulatto girl who resides at the Hickory Ridge orphanage.  Ada's friendship with Sophia attracts the attention of a group of locals seeking to displace the residents of Two Creeks, a "colored" settlement on the edge of town. As tensions rise, Ada is threatened but refuses to abandon her plan to help the girl.

When Lillian dies, Ada is left without employment or a place to call home. And since Wyatt's primary purpose for staying in Hickory Ridge was to watch over his aunt, he can now pursue his dream of owning Longhorns in his home state of Texas.  With their feelings for each other growing, Ada must decide whether she can trust God with her future and Wyatt with her heart.


Overall Review:  In Beyond All Measure, author Dorothy Love welcomes readers to the “peaceful and close-knit town” of Hickory Ridge. Now that the Civil War has ended, townsfolk eagerly participate in pastimes like ladies’ quilting circles, church pageants and holiday picnics.  The novel’s rich, vivid and detailed imagery will leave readers wanting to pack up and move to a small Southern town! Yet Hickory Ridge has its share of dark secrets. Tensions have escalated between the town’s blacks and whites, all while the Ku Klux Klan terrify and carry out grisly deeds.

In the midst of the turmoil, Wyatt, the town’s golden boy, finds himself falling for beautiful newcomer, Ada.  Scenes involving Wyatt were some of the best -- he is the epitome of a true Southern gentleman. Ada’s complicated actions and mysterious past made this book a page-turner.  The couple’s sweet, budding romance also helped lighten the story’s heavier themes.  Beyond All Measure was noticeably well-researched and I loved catching a glimpse of life and love in the postbellum South.  Overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: none

VIOLENCE: mild, with one moderate incident

SEXUAL CONTENT: mild

MATURE THEMES: mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 16+

Beyond All Measure is Christian historical fiction, so it is fairly conservative.  There is frequent discussion about God and His role in the characters’ lives.  There was no profanity.  The word ‘negro’ is spoken by characters; it was commonly used during this time period.  Attacks conducted by the Ku Klux Klan are briefly stated and include
hanging, shooting and burning crosses in lawns.  Moderate violence occurs when a main character is threatened, beaten by the Klansmen, and tied up.  The character subsequently soils herself.  There is mention of a Civil War battle but this is not graphically detailed. A character dies of old age.  Kissing occurs between the main characters.  There is a slight reference to being unfaithful and having a child out of wedlock. Mature themes include the racial tension of postbellum Tennessee and the motives behind the Ku Klux Klan.  Beyond All Measure is a clean read recommended for ages 16+!

This review was written by Rachel
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Thomas Nelson for a review

Penny From Heaven
by Jennifer L. Holm

Publisher's Note:  It’s 1953 and 11-year-old Penny dreams of a summer of butter pecan ice cream, swimming, and baseball. But nothing’s that easy in Penny’s family. For starters, she can’t go swimming because her mother’s afraid she’ll catch polio at the pool. To make matters worse, her favorite uncle is living in a car. Her Nonny cries every time her father’s name is mentioned. And the two sides of her family aren’t speaking to each other!

Inspired by Newbery Honor winner Jennifer Holm’s own Italian American family, Penny from Heaven is a shining story about the everyday and the extraordinary, about a time in America’s history, not all that long ago, when being Italian meant that you were the enemy. But most of all, it’s a story about families—about the things that tear them apart and bring them together. And Holm tells it with all the richness and the layers, the love and the laughter of a Sunday dinner at Nonny’s. So pull up a chair and enjoy the feast! Buon appetito!


Overall Review: Penny's idea of Heaven involves butter pecan ice cream, the Dodgers, and her big, loud, Italian family.  But this summer isn't exactly heaven.  She's living through a horrible haircut, days filled with boredom because her mom is too afraid of polio to let Penny go to either the pool or the movie theater, and her cousin Frankie's crazy schemes.  With gentle wit and great historical details, Jennifer Holm weaves a pitch-perfect historical fiction about family, honesty, and growing up.  Penny From Heaven kept me hooked from beginning to end! Overall rating is 4.5 out of 5 stars!


Content Review:

PROFANITY: Very mild

VIOLENCE: Mild

SEXUAL CONTENT: None

MATURE THEMES: Mild

RECOMMENDED AGE GROUP: 9+

There is very mild profanity (no actual expletives, only phrases like "we knew all the good [Italian] curse words"). There is mild violence—there are a few minor brawls, and one character is injured in a household accident. There is no sexual content (a girl has a crush on a boy and wonders what it would be like to kiss him, but it's very innocent and not dwelt on). Mature themes consist of family secrets and serious injuries.  Penny From Heaven is recommended as a Squeaky Clean Reads for ages 9+.

This review was written by Cindy B.
A Squeaky Clean Reads Book Reviewer
This book was sent to Squeaky Clean Reads by Random House Books for Young Readers  for a review