Book Review – Martin Luther by Simonetta Carr

Title: Martin Luther
Author: Simonetta Carr
Publisher: Reformation Heritage Books
Publishing Year: 2016
Pages: 63
My Rating: 5 out of 5 (1 meaning I hated the book, 5 meaning I loved the book)

Ever since Tony and Tommy came into my life, I am constantly on the hunt for good children’s books.  Not only do I want to instill a love for reading into their lives, but my greatest desire is to create opportunities to enrich their faith.  Martin Luther by Simonetta Carr is just the book to open that door.

As a teacher, I’ve come across quite a bit of children’s biographical material.  Much of it is ok and basic.  They give you the basic story and throw in a few helpful lessons along the way.  But my concern has been that they are moralistic tales that leave one with a heroic appreciation of the achievements of that individual and that’s about it.  I’m glad to say this is not the approach of Simonetta Carr.

Martin Luther is more like a theology book told from a biographical perspective.  As I read this with my oldest son, there were ample opportunities in every chapter to stop and talk about spiritual truth.  The gospel is a clear emphasis all throughout these 63 pages.  I loved exploring this with Tony, that is once he got past the fact we were talking about Protestant Reformer Martin Luther and not civil rights champion Martin Luther King…

While the theology is rich and deep, Carr is does not sacrifice historical accuracy.  The story of Martin Luther is one that captivates me and one I’ve studied quite a bit.  Yet, even I learned a few new things from this children’s book.  I also found her story-telling ability to be fantastic.  She tells a gripping tale that has you wanting to know more and keep on reading.  My son never wanted to put the book down.  I’ve already begun looking into other titles in this series.

The only real complaint I would have is that Carr is a little too historically accurate.  When writing of Luther at Worms, she leaves out his famous words, “Here I stand.”  While I recognize that historians tell us he probably did not say these words, I still like to imagine it.  Oh well…

This is a great book for both children and parents alike.  It’s accurate, reliable and interesting.  This is a great tool not only to introduce your child to Church History but also provides teachable moments to have meaningful conversations about the gospel and theology.  I only read it with my oldest son (9) as I thought it a little advanced for my five year-old.

This would be great to read next Reformation Day in October, but might also make a spectacular Christmas gift next week!  You can purchase the book here.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by the publisher for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.