By Shauna Bremenkamp
You’re here for recommendations, so let me skip the intro and get right to it! Make sure you follow Sola Gratia Homeschool on social media and sign-up for my emails so you can know right when part 2 drops!
In no particular order…
The Wingfeather Saga series by Andrew Peterson
As a Christian mom of a little girl, I’m always looking for books that could capture my daughter’s imagination without compromising the values I’m trying to instill in her. The Wingfeather Saga has been such a wonderful find for our family!
Kids get drawn into the world of Aerwiar. The adventure, humor, quirky creatures, mystery, and larger-than-life characters will keep your child asking to read “just one more chapter.”
But what I appreciate most is that underneath all the adventure is a story filled with themes of courage, loving others, family, identity, redemption, forgiveness, and choosing what is right even when it is difficult… values that overlap with the biblical principles that I am teaching her. The deeper truths are woven naturally into the characters and their journey. The characters aren’t perfect—and that’s part of what makes the story so meaningful. They make mistakes, experience fear, wrestle with difficult circumstances, and have to learn what it means to be brave and faithful. The series is exciting enough to keep your child turning the pages, but rich enough to inspire meaningful conversations along the way. That’s a win in my book. I definitely recommend giving The Wingfeather Saga a place on your family’s bookshelf. Purchase here!
Faith Girls Growing In Grace: New Beginnings by Karen Porzio
A sweet, encouraging story follows 12-year-old Emma Grace Carter as she navigates a huge life change—moving to a new town, leaving behind her best friend and familiar church community, and starting over at a new middle school. Suddenly, everything feels unfamiliar, and Emma finds herself wondering where she belongs and where God is in the middle of all this change.
What I especially appreciate, besides the main character’s middle name being my daughter’s first name, is that Emma isn’t portrayed as someone who suddenly becomes the loudest or most confident girl in the room. She’s thoughtful, quiet, and sometimes unsure of herself. Through new friendships, challenges, whispered prayers, and difficult moments, she begins to discover that being quiet doesn’t mean being weak and that she doesn’t have to become someone else to have value or purpose. Her value and purpose is in Christ, and that is such an important message for girls today, which is why I included this book about a 12 year old girl on this list for 8-10 year olds. The book does not have any themes that 8-10 year old girls can’t relate to, I think this book offers a gentle introduction for a girl who soon will be entering those years where friendships become more complicated, fitting in can feel incredibly important, and questions about identity start to surface.
The book naturally opens the door to conversations about friendship, courage, identity, belonging, faith, trusting God during change, and learning to be comfortable with who God created you to be. I love stories that give moms an opportunity to talk to their daughters about these things without the conversation feeling forced.
I also appreciate that faith isn’t simply an accessory to the story. Emma’s relationship with God is woven into her journey, particularly through prayer and the way she learns to navigate uncertainty. The story emphasizes that sometimes faith looks less like standing boldly on a stage and more like taking one small, courageous step at a time in ordinary moments.
And perhaps my favorite takeaway is this:
Your daughter doesn’t have to be the loudest girl in the room to make a difference.
Often, the quietest faith is actually the strongest.
If you’re looking for a wholesome, faith-centered series for a girl around 9 –13, Faith Girls is one I’d be happy to recommend. It would also make a lovely choice for a mother and daughter to read together and discuss—especially if your daughter is navigating a new school (or co-op, enrichment program, or church if you’re homeschooling), new friendships, a move, or simply the sometimes confusing process of growing up as a girl of faith grab a few copies for your family and to bless others with. Purchase here!
The Hiding Place: A Graphic Novel by Corrie Ten Boom
Based on the true story of Corrie ten Boom and her family during World War II, this beautifully illustrated adaptation brings an incredibly important piece of history to a younger generation.
Corrie and her family lived in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation and made the courageous decision to help Jewish people escape persecution. Eventually, their family was discovered, and Corrie and her sister Betsie were sent to concentration camps.
What makes this story so powerful isn’t simply the history—it’s the faith displayed in the middle of unimaginable circumstances.
Corrie and Betsie continually turn their hearts toward God, even when everything around them seems hopeless. Their story offers children an opportunity to see that faith isn’t only something we talk about when life is easy. It can become an anchor when circumstances are frightening, painful, and uncertain.
One of the things I appreciate most is the emphasis on forgiveness. Corrie’s story gives us an opportunity to talk about what it means to forgive when we’ve been deeply hurt, to trust God when we don’t understand what He’s allowing, and to choose love even when hatred would seem easier.
The graphic novel format makes this important story more accessible to younger readers who may find a traditional historical biography intimidating. The illustrations help bring the setting and people to life while giving young readers a visual way to connect with Corrie’s experiences.
That said, this is not a lighthearted children’s story. There are difficult and heartbreaking aspects of the Holocaust depicted in the book, so parents will want to consider their individual child’s maturity and be prepared to read alongside them and discuss what they’re seeing. Honestly, I think that can be one of the greatest strengths of a book like this. Our children need opportunities to learn about difficult parts of history in age-appropriate ways—and they need to see examples of people who remained faithful to Christ in the midst of them. This is the kind of book I wouldn’t simply hand to a child and walk away from. I’d want to read it together, pause along the way, answer questions, talk about the history, and most importantly, talk about what Corrie’s faith teaches us about following Christ.
A powerful story. An important piece of history. And a beautiful opportunity for parents and children to have conversations that can stay with them long after the final page. Purchase here!